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30 prominent people across society sign letter to the Times in support of restorative justice.
On the 5th April 2011 in the Times, 30 prominent people called for the Government to act on the vision set out in the Sentencing Green Paper, and make restorative justice available to victims whenever an offender pleads guilty to their offence.
The letter published in the Times today says:
As Ministers develop proposals for sentencing reform this Autumn, we ask Government to take into account the evidence on restorative justice, and ensure through legislation that this process is offered to all victims of crime, whenever an offender pleads guilty to their offence and agrees to participate.
Research published by the Ministry of Justice shows that the majority of victims choose to participate in restorative justice meetings with their offenders when this is offered. 85% of victims who participate are satisfied with the process, because it gives victims a say, answers to their questions, and reparation that means something. The research also showed these meetings cut re-offending by at least 14% because offenders are confronted with the real impact of their crime and given the motivation to change.
Through reductions in re-offending and better use of Criminal Justice resources, restorative justice can deliver efficiencies at every stage of the criminal justice system. We welcome the vision for restorative justice as set out in the Sentencing Green Paper last year. Now the opportunity has come to match the vision with action.
The full list of signatories is:
Jonathan Aitken, Director, Prison Fellowship International
Baroness Tessa Blackstone, Vice-Chancellor, Greenwich University
The Right Reverend Richard Chartres, Bishop of London
Lord Navnit Dholakia
Lord Charles Falconer
Chief Constable Phil Gormley, Norfolk Constabulary
John Graham, Director, the Police Foundation
Lord Robin Hodgson
Professor Mike Hough, Director, Institute for Criminal Policy Research, Birkbeck, University of London
Dr Carolyn Hoyle, Centre for Criminology, Oxford University
The Right Reverend James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool
Javed Khan, CEO, Victim Support
Lawrence Kershen QC, Chair, the Restorative Justice Council
Baroness Veronica Linklater
Professor Ian Loader, Director, Centre for Criminology, Oxford University
Lord Ken MacDonald QC, former Director of Public Prosecutions
Barry and Margaret Mizen, parents of Jimmy Mizen
Peter Neyroud QPM, former Chief Constable, Cambridge University
Chief Constable Stephen Otter, Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Dame Anne Owers, former Chief Inspector of Prisons
Sir Charles Pollard QPM, former Chief Constable
Lord David Ramsbotham, former Chief Inspector of Prisons
Chief Constable Mark Rowley, Surrey Police
Anthony Salz, Chair, the Independent Commission on Youth Crime
Professor Joanna Shapland, Head of the School of Law, Sheffield University
ACC Garry Shewan, Greater Manchester Police and ACPO lead on restorative justice
Professor David Smith, Mannheim Centre for Criminology, London School of Economics
Dr Heather Strang, Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University
Lord Norman Warner, former Chair, the Youth Justice Board
For those with access to the Times online you can see the letter on their site at: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/
The letter is also supported by ten partner organisations: CLINKS, the Criminal Justice Alliance, the Forgiveness Project, the Independent Commission on Youth Crime, Make Justice Work, Prison Fellowship, the Prison Reform Trust, the Restorative Justice Council, Victim Support and Why me?
Lawrence Kershen QC, Chair of the RJC, and one of the signatories said "The vision set out in the Green Paper was hugely encouraging, as it recognised the the part restorative justice has to play at all stages of the Criminal Justice System. We know Ministers are currently considering next steps in policy and legislation in the light of responses to the Green Paper, and would encourage them to be bold in delivering their vision, to act on the evidence and invest in making restorative justice much more widely available".
Add your voice to the call for restorative justice
Please add YOUR name to the list by following the link below.
Further Reading
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Add your voice to the call for restorative justice
The RJC is calling on the Government to ‘ensure through legislation that a rest ..
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12967790
BBC coverage of the letter