When I sit down to write my blogs I normally look back on the previous week’s news to get ideas and inspiration. But last week was unremittingly bleak, with the awful mass shooting in Orlando targeting members of the LGBT community and the tragic murder of the MP Jo Cox, all against a backdrop of the toxic political environment created by the EU referendum campaigns. Within this context, I’ve rarely felt less inspired to write something positive about anything.
The RJC has published a new report looking at the ways in which organisations delivering restorative justice can join together to develop multiagency partnerships. The report is based on work undertaken with three areas – Hertfordshire, Northumbria and Sussex – where multiagency partnerships have been formed.
The RJC held events with all three areas, and extracted some broad principles surrounding the development and effective running of a multiagency partnership. These findings are contained in the report, along with practical advice on how to set up a partnership.
The public believe that victims should have the right to access restorative justice, new polling demonstrates.
The polling, carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the RJC, sought the public’s views on restorative justice and found that an overwhelming 77% of people think that victims should have the right to meet their offender.
On Friday, the Labour Campaign for Prison Reform (which doesn’t appear to be in any way formally associated with the party) published an article on the government’s plans for restorative justice. While it is broadly positive, it states that “for restorative justice to be worthwhile, it has to prevent prisoners from reoffending”. Given the renewed focus on rehabilitation in the justice system there is now significant support for this view. But is it right?
Newly released Ipsos MORI polling, commissioned by the Restorative Justice Council, confirms that 80% of the public believe that victims of crime should have the right to meet their offender. Among people who had been a victim of crime, this figure rose to 85%.
The RJC is pleased to announce that three more services have achieved the Restorative Service Quality Mark (RSQM). The Dracaena Centre, Calm Mediation – restorative justice service, and Blackburn with Darwen youth justice service all now hold the RSQM.
Jon Collins, the RJC’s chief executive, said: “It’s fantastic news that these services have all achieved the RSQM. This is a testament to the high quality of their work and their commitment to using restorative approaches in a safe and effective way.”
Accounts of child abuse are depressingly familiar, as are the life-long effects it can have on its survivors. Here, Laura explains how facing her abuser empowered her and enabled her to move on with her life.
As I’ve written before, it’s a scandal that so many of the children who end up in custody have previously been in care. It’s therefore very welcome that the Prison Reform Trust has sponsored a year-long review into this issue, chaired by Lord Laming, which has reported today. It highlights the urgent need to address this issue if all children in care are to get the best start in life.
Nick spent 16 years learning to live with the killing of his twin brother, Simon. Here, he talks about how restorative justice helped him to stop feeling like a victim.
