On March 3, the BBC One series The Gift featured a restorative justice conference in which an ex-offender met one of the victims of a series of armed robberies he had been involved in.
Following some concerns expressed about this programme, the RJC is pleased to have been invited to take part in a review of this episode of The Gift with the programme makers and those involved in the case that was featured. This will be an opportunity to discuss the coverage of restorative justice cases in the media in the future.
The RJC is pleased to announce the launch of two new products to support the delivery of quality practice across the restorative justice field - a Practitioner Competency Framework and the RJC’s Training Approval Scheme.
The Practitioner Competency Framework provides an overview of the behaviours and skills required of those working in the restorative practice field. It is intended to raise standards and support practitioners in their professional development.
Henry became addicted to drugs at age 14, eventually resorting to theft to fund his habit and manipulating a vulnerable friend into helping him steal. He talks about the moment he met with one of his victims and faced up to what he had done - to himself, to his friend, and to his victims - and how he vowed never to go back to how he was.
Managing discipline is a daily challenge for schools. When things go wrong and a child like Callum is seriously harmed can a restorative approach repair the damage and prevent such incidents in the future? Callum's mum, the police officer, and his school vice-principal share their experiences.
After Aaron Sampson, 15, was robbed by some boys who’d been bullying him at school, a restorative justice meeting gave him a chance to regain his confidence. Here, Aaron and his mum Linda tell their stories.
When Christine’s stepfather was released from 12 years in prison, restorative justice helped her to face her fears about meeting the man who’d murdered her mother.
Elyn Mitchell is the clerk of a Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) Meeting. When their Meeting House was damaged in an arson attack, the effects were felt across the local community. Here, she talks about using restorative justice to repair the harm, and build a more positive future.
The Criminal Justice Alliance has published a report by Rob AllenReducing the Use of Imprisonment: What can we learn from Europe?which analyses how several European countries, particularly the Netherlands and Germany have seen sharp falls in their prison populations over the last five years.
