Would you communicate with the offender of your crime and tell them how their actions have affected you?
What is Restorative Justice?
Restorative Justice is the process in which victims and offenders communicate in a supportive and controlled environment to discuss the harm that has been caused, the impact it’s had, seek a way to repair that harm and provide a means of moving forward.
For victims, communicating with the person who has harmed them can be a huge step in moving forward, by listening to their needs and giving them a voice, helping them to recover from the incident.
“I spoke, you listened, you just understood. It felt good to be heard. I hadn’t felt heard throughout the whole criminal justice process, but you gave me my voice back.”
For offenders, the experience can help them understand the harm they caused, the impact of their behaviour and give them an opportunity to make amends.
“I’m happy that I had a chance to apologise for my actions and that the practitioners didn’t judge me.”
So, what happens?
A pair of Restorative Justice practitioners will talk to you about what happened, the impact and consequences, and what you need for things to feel better for you. They will ask you if you would like to communicate indirectly or meet with the person who has committed the crime or anti-social behaviour.
During the process, the person who has committed the crime or anti-social behaviour will have the opportunity to talk to the Restorative Justice practitioners about the harm they caused and what they think could be done to make amends. They are also asked if they are willing to meet you in person or communicate with you indirectly.
Indirect methods of communication include writing and receiving letters, communicating via audio or video messaging or by shuttle (passing words, questions and answers via your practitioners.)
If both parties would like to meet in person and the practitioners feel it is safe, appropriate and beneficial to do so, you will be given the opportunity to talk about what happened in a face-to-face meeting. The Restorative Justice practitioners will organise this for you.
The meeting is called a Restorative Justice conference or joint meeting. Like all methods of Restorative Justice communication, it is voluntary and only takes place if everyone agrees to it. It is held at a neutral location at a time which is convenient to you and is led by the Restorative Justice practitioners. You will be able to bring a relative, friend or another person to give you support.
“As soon as the face-to-face RJ meeting finished and the perpetrator left the room, I didn’t feel afraid anymore.’
What's in it for me?
Restorative Justice gives you the opportunity to communicate with the other person involved and discuss what happened. It can help you gain an understanding of what happened and why, give you the space to describe your feelings, and give you the opportunity to ask questions. Most importantly it can help to repair the harm caused.
Restorative Justice provides an alternative way of dealing with an offence or incident; the process is focused on the needs of the individuals involved, particularly the person who has been harmed. You are welcome to involve a friend, family member or professional supporter.
Your Restorative Justice practitioners will be there to support and guide you through the process; they will listen to you, help you feel safe, at ease and fully prepared. The practitioners take their lead from you, and you can change your mind at any time.
Initially you will meet with a pair of Restorative Justice practitioners to discuss:
After this, you will be given time to decide whether you would like to communicate with the other person and how you might like to do that.
What's in it for them?
Restorative Justice helps offenders too and in some cases can lead to a reduced likelihood of them re-offending in the future.
The conference helps them by:
When can Restorative Justice be used?
Restorative justice can be used in a variety of situations from anti-social behaviour to the most serious of crimes. It is available for any crime type, however long ago the incident occurred. It can take place once the court process is complete or once an outcome has been decided.
There are three basic requirements that must be met before communication can take place:
Does restorative justice work?
Government research, along with success stories, proves that RJ can benefit a wide range of victims and offenders. When asking those who had been supported by the service:
We at Lighthouse believe that every victim should be given the choice. Restorative Justice is always voluntary, there is no obligation to take part but it can be beneficial for everyone involved.
As a victim you are entitled under the Victim's Code of Practice to access information about Restorative Justice and how you can take part. Click here to read more about your rights
Please get in touch if you would like to find out more or take part in Restorative Justice. We can then talk things over with you in confidence and answer any questions you might have.
To find out more or to speak to someone about Restorative Justice, contact the Restorative Approaches Avon & Somerset (RAAS) service:
Call 0117 9415879
Email cases@restorative-approaches.org
Text 07377 864060 or 07377 864061
Please note that emails/phones are not monitored during evenings and weekends. In an emergency please call 999 and in a non-emergency call 101.
What is public opinion?
A poll commissioned by the Restorative Justice Council in 2016 found 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 polling also highlighted that only 28% of people had heard of Restorative Justice. In Lighthouse we are working hard to increase awareness of the service across Avon and Somerset. To read the full report click here
A victim’s guide to Restorative Justice - a film for victims of crime explaining the different points in the criminal justice system where you can access restorative justice. It also tells you who you can contact if you want to make use of this approach.
Watch Moving on, a short film by the Restorative Justice Council - a re-enacted portrayal of a real Restorative Justice Conference.
For more films and stories of people who have experienced restorative justice, you can visit the Restorative Justice Council website, or join in the facebook and twitter conversations about restorative justice.
If you would like to provide any feedback or make a complaint about your service, please email vwfeedback@avonandsomerset.pnn.police.uk
Restorative Approaches Avon and Somerset
On June 1, 2017, a new single restorative justice service covering the whole of Avon and Somerset went live, providing a single point of contact for restorative justice in the area.
The service named “Restorative Approaches Avon and Somerset” or RAAS for short is being delivered by Bristol Mediation in partnership with Avon and Somerset Police and is an amalgamation of the existing Bristol Neighbourhood Justice Team (NJT) and North East Restorative Approaches (NERAP).
The new service aims to:
The service has been commissioned and appointed by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and will run until from 1st June 2017 to 31st March 2019, across Avon and Somerset.