About the RJC

The Restorative Justice Council (RJC) is the national, independent membership body for the field of restorative practice. We act as the national voice for our membership, advocating the widespread use of all forms of restorative practice, including restorative justice. The RJC receives no Government funding to undertake its work. We rely solely on the income generated through memberships, donations and the paid services we provide to the restorative sector.

Our overarching objective is to promote restorative justice in all its forms for the public benefit as a means of resolving conflict and promoting reconciliation. We do this by promoting the use of restorative justice in the criminal justice system, in education, healthcare, social care, workplaces and elsewhere in the community in situations where conflict may arise.

Our secondary role is to set and champion clear standards for restorative practice. Our vision is of a society where high-quality restorative practice is available to all. The RJC has a long history of being the national lead for developing and promoting agreed standards and principles for evaluating and guiding restorative practice. We work closely with the restorative sector to develop and maintain national Restorative Practice Guidance and Practice Registration Frameworks. Our aim is to drive take-up and to enable safe, high quality restorative practice to develop and thrive.

The RJC are also committed to advancing education and research on restorative justice. We achieve this through our strategic collaboration with higher education colleagues and, where appropriate, co-funding research projects which are beneficial to the work of the RJC or the wider restorative sector. To support our work in this area, the RJC established an academic advisory group in 2021 whose main purpose is to provide expert guidance and advice regarding research into restorative approaches, practice, and justice.

We are also committed to the publication and dissemination of national and international research relevant to the sector we serve. This includes publishing academic papers in our quarterly Resolution magazine, showcasing research at our Annual Restorative Justice conference and making open access resources available on our website.

Our Strategic objectives for the period 2021 -2024, as agreed by our board of trustees, are as follows:

Strategic Objectives 2021 – 2024

EXPAND OUR FOCUS TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF, AND AN EVIDENCE BASE FOR, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ACROSS ALL SECTORS

We will be more responsive to, and in tune with, developments in restorative justice across a wider range of sectors. Our policy positions and practice guidance will be informed by robust and up-to-date evidence and, where this test cannot be met, we will collaborate with sector experts and commissioning bodies to remedy research deficiencies.

CREATE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STATUTORY AGENCIES ACROSS SECTORS TO PROMOTE AND INCREASE THE APPLICATION OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

We will establish relationships with key policymakers in each sector and invite them to join our strategic policymaker network. Fostering collaborative relationships with statutory agencies and key policymakers will support us in scoping what knowledge and practice exists in each sector. The data collected will be used to promote and increase the application of restorative justice by publishing evidence-based policy briefings which clearly outline how restorative justice can be integrated into specific sectors.

RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

We will ensure people have easier access to the information they need to be able make an informed choice about participating in a restorative process. Through print, social media and public engagement events, we will create engaging, informative and accessible opportunities to learn about restorative justice. This will be supported by a redesign of our website and the creation of new awareness raising resources.

CONSULT WITH OUR MEMBERSHIP AND DRAW ON THEIR EXPERTISE TO EXPAND OUR REACH AND ENSURE THAT OUR GOALS AND STRATEGIES REFLECT THEIR CONCERNS

We will provide more opportunities for members to engage with the RJC’s Board and leadership to share their views, concerns and needs. We will continue to develop sector specific working groups, where there is capacity to do so and, subject to pre identified outcomes, to support our policy and standards work. All collaborative work will be subject to alignment with our core values, mission and strategic objectives; it will be transparent in its arrangement, fair and open to all members. To underpin this objective, we will develop a clear statement of terms of reference for the relationship between, and expectations of, memberships and the RJC.