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25th July 2010 Offering Restorative Justice to victims of serious crime would save £185 million over two years by reducing crime  The Restorative Justice Consortium and Victim Support have presented the case for restorative justice to Justice Minister Crispin Blunt. RJC and Victim Support highlighted how restorative justice empowers victims by putting them at the heart of society's response to crime. Victims of crime benefit from restorative justice by being given the chance to tell offenders the real impact of their crime, to get answers to their questions as well as being more likely to receive an apology. Based on the 27% reduction in the rate of re-offending after restorative justice demonstrated by the Ministry of Justice research, and the cost/benefit data in that same research, restorative justice would, if scaled up, lead to cashable savings to our courts and criminal justice system of £185 million. Based on the latest crime statistics, the Restorative Justice Consortium and Victim Support have shown that, if restorative justice was offered to 75,000 victims of adult offenders, assuming just a 40% take up rate, the reductions in re-offending would lead to £185 million cashable savings to criminal justice over two years. In addition, the proposal demonstrates how making face to face conferences available before sentencing of offenders pleading guilty to burglary, robbery and violent offences would lead to reductions in re-offending of 27%. This would mean 27% less crime and 27% fewer victims. Restorative justice has been effectively introduced in Northern Ireland where three quarters of victims of young offenders choose to meet the young person face to face. Where victims and offenders meet victim satisfaction rates are 90% - much higher than when restorative justice is not available. Victim Support and the Restorative Justice Consortium say that restorative justice should be available for all victims of crime who choose it in England and Wales also. - RJC summary of Ministry of Justice research - Observer front page - Sunday 25th July 2010 15th July 2010 Independent experts on youth crime say restorative justice should be placed at the heart of the youth justice system. "What is so important about this recommendation is that the Youth Crime Commission isn’t an organisation that exists to promote RJ, or a Commission set up to look into it.The independent experts looked at all the evidence around the world - and found the best, most effective response to youth offending here on our doorstep, in Northern Ireland. "Northern Ireland has shown just what can be achieved when Restorative Justice is taken seriously and placed centre stage in the Youth Justice System. The Youth Crime Commission - made up of independent experts - places RJ centre stage in the vision for reform. "The Coalition Government have expressed their commitment to restorative justice, and are clear about the need to find more effective, less expensive solutions to crime. "I commend the recommendations in this visionary, and entirely practical report, to them, and to you, today." -  RJC Chair, Lawrence Kershen QC Independent Commission on Youth Crime "Fresh Start" Report, Fresh Start Summary, and the Commission's Press Release 7.10am BBC Breakfast - Helen Sentkovsky and Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, ACPO Lead on RJ, talk about restorative justice.   Guardian - Report Recommends Restorative Justice Radio 1 Newsbeat - Offenders should meet victims The Times - 15th July - Sir Ken MacDonald QC, former Director of Public Prosecutions writes in support of restorative justice. Case Studies Footage of meeting with young person and train driver who's train had been damaged by serious vandalism (Dorset Police) Meeting with elderly lady who's home was 'egged' by young person (BBC Learning Zone) Family speak about meeting a man who burgled their home and took memories of their daughter who had recently been killed in a car crash (BBC News) Kathy Key speaks about meeting the man responsible for her husbands' death (BBC News) Zoe Harrison was helped to recover by meeting the man who mugged her at knife point (Daily Mirror) Victim and offender speak about meeting after Will found Peter burgling his home (Woolf Within)