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Ministry of Justice strategy 'Getting it right for victims' includes commitments on restorative justice

The Ministry of Justice have published their strategy for victims Getting it right for victims and witnesses. The strategy outlines the Governments plans to make a ‘step-change’ in the provision of restorative justice. 

The strategy proposes a reform of the Victims’ Code, reducing the 99 standards which must be met by criminal justice agencies to 9 principles setting out clearly for victims what they can expect from criminal justice agencies. One of the 9 proposed principles is to give victims the right to ask to participate in restorative justice and for restorative justice to be provided when available and subject to resources.

The Government will seek to increase the resources available for restorative justice services through proposed changes to the Victims Surcharge. The Government will encourage local commissioners of victim support services to use additional funding from the proposed changes to the Victims Surcharge to make restorative justice much more readily available. The Government have recently announced the availability of free training to increase capacity in the National Offender Management System.

The strategy sets out the Government’s plan to develop a framework for restorative justice. The RJC Trainers and Practitioners Registers will form part of the framework, which aims to provide guidance and support to develop and deliver effective, best practice restorative justice approaches suited to local need. The Government will also improve guidance and information available to sentencers about restorative justice, including through pre-sentence reports and Victim Personal Statements.

The strategy is up for consultation until 22nd April 2012. The RJC has produced a briefing on the strategy highlighting where the strategy references restorative justice, inviting views to inform our response on behalf of the field and providing guidance on key issues for members to highlight in their response to the consultation. Please send your comments on the strategy to gettingitright@restorativejustice.org.uk by 22nd March 2012. 

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30th Jan 2012

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