Ministry of Justice Evaluation: Restorative justice: the views of victims and offenders

Restorative justice: the views of victims and offenders.

The third report from the evaluation of three schemes by

Joanna Shapland, Anne Atkinson, Helen Atkinson,

Becca Chapman, James Dignan, Marie Howes,

Jennifer Johnstone, Gwen Robinson and Angela Sorsby

Centre for Criminological Research

University of Sheffield

Research published by the Ministry of Justice shows that 85% of victims and 80% of offenders were satisfied with their experience of a Restorative Justice conference – a meeting between the victim and offender with supporters of each present.

The Report also showed that;

• 78% of victims who took part in RJ conferences said they would recommend it to other victims
• 90% of victims who took part in an RJ conference received an apology from the offender in their case; as compared with only 19% of victims in the control group

 

•  Only 6 victims, and 6 offenders, out of 152 offenders and 216 victims interviewed, were dissatisfied with the RJ conference after taking part
• Around 80% of offenders who took part in the RJ conference thought it would lessen their likelihood of re-offending.
• Victims who had been through a Restorative Justice conference were more likely to think the sentence the offender had received was fair, than victims in the control group who did not participate in RJ
• This research compares with just 33% of victims who think the CJS meets their needs; and 41% of victims who think the CJS brings offenders to justice [British Crime Survey 04-05]

 

 

 

 

 

 

24th Jun 2007 | Pilot Studies, Research | Professor Joanna Shapland

Further Reading

• Ministry of Justice Evaluation: Does restorative justice affect reconviction? The fourth report from the evaluation of three schemes

  Shapland, J et al (2008) Restorative Justice: Does Restorative Justice affect reconviction. Th ..

  14th Jun 2008 Professor Joanna Shapland - 93
• Ministry of Justice Evaluation: Restorative justice in practice – findings from the second phase of the evaluation of three schemes

  This is the second report of the Home office funded pilot studies. ..

  25th Jan 2006 Professor Joanna Shapland - 432
• Implementing restorative justice schemes

  Implementing restorative justice schemes (Crime Reduction Programme): A report on the first ye ..

  1st Dec 2002 Professor Joanna Shapland - 289