NCJ Number
204104
Journal
Punishment & Society Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2004 Pages: 23-46
Date Published
January 2004
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the research and evaluation of restorative justice in England and Scotland.
Abstract
The general aims of restorative justice are to reduce re-offending, to restore the relationship between the victim and the offender that was disturbed by the offense, and to improve victims’ experiences with the criminal justice system. Within Scotland, the restorative justice movement has in the past had little impact. The position in England and Wales was transformed by the enactment of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and Part I of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, which introduced a number of measures concerning the youth justice system that incorporate restorative justice principles. The Home Office conducted an evaluation of seven restorative justice schemes during 1999/2000. The goals of this research were to identify which elements were most effective in reducing crime; and to provide recommendations on the best practice for schemes to be mainstreamed. Interviews with 23 victims and 43 offenders in this study indicated that victims were generally well disposed towards the aims of restorative justice. In common with offenders, victims valued mediation sessions that were conducted expeditiously, were responsive to their views, and were concluded with clearly agreed outcomes. In terms of re-offending, there was more evidence that restorative justice works for juveniles rather than in the case of adult offenders. In the case of offenders convicted of serious offenses, mediation resulted in cost-effective reductions in the frequency and severity of re-offending. But there was no evidence that the attitudinal changes claimed by victims and offenders following their experience would either be durable or translate into behavioral change for the better. One of the recommendations as a result of this research was the development and implementation of a national strategy to ensure consistent, appropriate, and effective use of restorative justice techniques across England and Wales. 22 notes, 110 references