A victim’s guide to restorative justice is a film for victims of crime explaining the different points in the criminal justice system where they can access restorative justice. It also tells them who they can contact if they want to make use of this approach.
The film uses animation to simply convey what can be a complicated process, and is aimed at victims who are considering restorative justice but may have questions about what to do next.
I first became interested in restorative justice when I was a masters student studying criminal justice policy at the LSE. Each week the course covered a topic and top of the reading list in the week focused on restorative justice was Nils Christie’s legendary 1977 article Conflicts as property. In that year I read countless academic articles, but it is probably the only one that I can remember with any clarity. It is certainly the only one that directly affected my future career choices.
Could you be a voice for the field of restorative practice? The RJC is looking for eight restorative practice experts and trainers to serve on its newly established Expert Advisory Group.
The Advisory Group will meet four times a year in London and will play an important role in developing RJC standards and guidance aimed at supporting best quality restorative practice. The role is unpaid but reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed.
The Restorative Justice Council has launched A victim’s guide to restorative justice, a new film for victims of crime explaining the different points in the criminal justice system where they can access restorative justice. It also tells them who they can contact if they want to make use of this approach.
The film uses animation to simply convey what can be a complicated process, and is aimed at victims who are considering restorative justice but may have questions about what to do next.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Tameside Division has become the first police force to achieve the Restorative Service Quality Mark (RSQM).
The award recognises the good quality, safe and sustainable restorative service provided by the police force, which joins 17 other RSQM awardees from sectors including criminal justice, education and care.
Gary Coglan, GMP’s restorative justice development officer, said: “The RSQM has ensured that our restorative justice services are of the exceptional national standard that victims of crime deserve.
When it comes to restorative justice, the last parliament saw the government finally put its money where its mouth is and provide some funding to make restorative justice happen. The vast majority of this funding went to PCCs, who were charged with making victim-initiated restorative justice available in their area. The resultant services are now beginning to emerge.
A year ago today I joined the RJC. It’s a cliché to say that time has flown by but it’s true nonetheless. It’s been a whirlwind year with scarcely a moment to catch breath. Looking back, there are lots of things I’m proud of, like our great new film Moving on, interesting events that we’ve hosted, and the steady growth in the number of organisations applying for the RSQM. I’ve also been fortunate enough to find out more about the great work that our members do and to hear first hand the compelling stories of people who have benefited from restorative justice. Whenever I’m buried in budgets or stuck in a windowless boardroom, it’s those stories that remind me why I do what I do.
The RJC and Why me? have co-produced Recovering from crime – restorative justice in action, a new film providing an insight into what a real restorative justice conference looks like.
