Restorative Justice Conference Pilot

Restorative Justice Conferencing is a relatively new approach in the UK which attempts to repair the harm caused by crime.

The conference involves all the people who have been affected by the incident, for example the offender, the victim and their supporters participating in a face-to-face meeting or communication via a third-party mediator.

Staff trained in restorative conferencing techniques will facilitiate all such conferences. The aim of these meetings is to give each individual the opportunity to express his or her view with the hope that a common agreement will be reached.

These meetings are not about punishing the young person: it is more about repairing the damage and restoring the relationship between the offender, the victim and the community.

The aims of a conference are:

to achieve an acceptable agreement between all those involved or affected by a crime
to reduce the chances of the young person re-offending
to give victims and the community a greater say in the outcome when a crime has been committed.

When and where do conferences take place?

Conferences are held at a neutral place and at a time convenient to everyone who is involved. The victim's preference will be met wherever possible. It depends upon the number of people involved, but most conferences last about an hour.

What may be the result of the conference?

During the conference a voluntary reparation agreement may be agreed by all parties, which would be signed by all the people in the conference. It would also be decided on the best way to implement the agreement to restore the relationship between the young offender, the victim, and the wider community.

For more information, please call the Youth Offending Service on 01450 370810.