Resolution Online

Coronavirus Update - Managing the risk of Covid19

The RJC have been contacted by several members requesting advice on whether practitioners should continue to offer face to face restorative justice meetings in light of the government advice issued yesterday. We will all be aware that the latest advice issued by the government stated:

I was delighted to host fellow restorative practitioners from South Korea as they undertook a UK Learning Tour. Working closely with the Korea Peacebuilding Institute (KOPI) we welcomed 28 restorative practitioners, researchers and academics to the UK in Mid-January. The purpose of the tour was to better understand how we have developed restorative practice across a range of sectors. To this end, we visited a range of organisations from across the UK including those working within criminal justice, education and health settings. There was also a keen interest to learn about how the UK are progressing with developing a restorative city model of practice. Over a 10-day period we visited 15 organisations and hosted two knowledge exchange seminars. We travelled a total of 1438 miles visiting Bristol, Coventry, Nottingham, Wakefield, Liverpool, Belfast and London.

A question was raised by RJC member Alex Hyatt, Sussex RJ Partnership, about the difficulties in providing restorative interventions in cases of drug dealing and supply.

A new evaluation of restorative practices in US schools has found restorative practice to have several positive effects, including a reduction in suspension rates and an improvement in overall school climates.

Researchers from RAND Corporation evaluated outcomes for students, teachers and schools at 44 schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Half of these schools had adopted a two-year restorative programme, the other half had not.