Strong support from the judiciary at the RJC's national event

On Friday 9 October, the RJC hosted a sold-out event for the judiciary on restorative justice. With over 100 attendees, the conference demonstrated the benefits of restorative justice and encouraged the judiciary to increase its use.

The RJC’s CEO, Jon Collins, said: “The feedback we got from participants on the day was really positive and this was an excellent opportunity for delegates, the majority of whom were magistrates, to learn about the evidence and hear directly from victims and offenders who have taken part in restorative justice meetings.  We’re delighted that so many members of the lay judiciary showed their support.” 

Keynote speakers included Lord Justice Fulford, incoming senior presiding judge, The Rt Hon Lord Woolf CH, Richard Monkhouse, chairman of the Magistrates’ Association and Dr Heather Strang from the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge University.

Lord Justice Fulford’s speech came from a position of strong belief in the benefits of restorative justice and he expressed his hope for the judiciary to be able to ensure that more takes place. You can see a clip of his speech below:

Following the event, the RJC hopes that magistrates and judges alike take advantage of the opportunities restorative justice offers and embed it in their day-to-day work.