88% of the public support restorative justice - new ICM/PRT polling data

The results of an ICM telephone poll of 1,000 members of the public, conducted one month after the riots in England, and published by the Prison Reform Trust, show overwhelming public support for giving victims the chance to inform offenders of the harm caused and a say in how the offender can best make amends.

RJC Director Lizzie Nelson commented “This new polling data makes clear 88% of the public want victims of crime to have the right to tell the offender the impact of their crime and have a say in how they make amends. The RJC Practitioner Register launched this week means the public can have confidence in the quality of restorative justice. The Government needs to act now and ensure through the Sentencing Bill that every victim is offered restorative justice whenever the offender takes responsibility for their crime."

The ICM poll results include:

·      Nearly nine out of 10 people (88%) agree that victims of theft and vandalism should be given the opportunity to inform offenders of the harm and distress they have caused.

·    Almost three quarters (71%) believe victims should have a say in how the offender can best make amends for the harm they have caused.

·    79% of people thought making amends to victims would be effective in preventing crime and disorder. 

The poll provides evidence that restorative justice has widespread public support, in addition to the strong evidence that it benefits victims, reduces reoffending and is value for money.

Javed Khan, the Chief Executive of Victim Support, said:
“We have for many years supported restorative justice projects up and down the country. We know that one of the greatest benefits of restorative justice is to victims of crime and that satisfaction rates among victims are particularly high when it is victim led.”

Home Office and Ministry of Justice research into restorative justice with serious offences such as violent crime and burglary showed that high quality restorative justice reduced reoffending by 27% and for every pound spent on providing restorative justice nine pounds are saved in reduced crime for the criminal justice system.

Speaking on Tuesday 13th September at the Launch of the RJC Practitioner Register Justice Minister Crispin Blunt said restorative justice is most effective if interventions are of sufficiently high quality and that there are the necessary safeguards in place for victims. He said “Practitioner registration is essential in building public confidence in restorative justice and providing anyone considering participation in restorative justice with a transparent check on whether the person working with them is qualified to do so.”

The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill is currently being debated in Parliament. The Restorative Justice Council, along with the Prison Reform Trust, Victim Support and the Criminal Justice Alliance, has called for legislation to place a duty on courts to consider restorative justice as part of sentencing.

The full results of the Prison Reform Trust ICM Poll is available online alongside the Prison Reform Trust briefing.

Sky News and BBC Breakfast coverage of the news is available to view online.

 

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15th Sep 2011 | Media