RJC conference shows YOTs’ commitment to restorative justice

The RJC’s sold-out event Enabling quality restorative justice in youth offending teams (YOTs) had 100 attendees and many more watching the live streaming, demonstrating the strong support for restorative justice among youth justice professionals.

The RJC’s CEO, Jon Collins, said: “The feedback we got from participants on the day was really positive – there’s some great work going on in YOTs around the country, and this was an excellent opportunity for people to share best practice, and talk about the future of youth justice. We’re delighted that restorative justice is clearly firmly embedded in the work of YOTs.” 

Both speakers and delegates brought extensive expertise to the conference. Keynote speakers included Jon Collins, the Rt Hon Lord McNally, the chair of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) and Tim Chapman, lecturer in restorative practices at the University of Ulster.

Tim Chapman spoke about the success of youth restorative justice in Northern Ireland. Speaking of why young people who have offended should be encouraged to take part, he said: "How do offenders know why they are sorry until they listen to the victim and understand the harm they have caused?"

Lord McNally confirmed the YJB’s commitment to restorative justice and support for the RJC. He said: “I am very pleased to say that the YJB, working through the YOTs, is playing an increasingly important role in promoting restorative justice across England and Wales.” He also highlighted the need for restorative justice to be used to prevent young people entering the criminal justice system. He said: "If we're going to go upstream and try to identify these issues and deal with them before it becomes criminality we need full buy-in from the Department for Education."