Welcome to Restorative Justice Resources

This site was updated quite frequently between 2004 and 2012 (by Paul Crosland) to enable restorative practitioners' to share resources, seek answers to questions, and build policy advice for government etc. In 2023 and onwards it mostly provides access to a free E book of Restorative Justice cases.

All Restorative Justice websites have a bias of some sort. I suggest that this website has a bias towards the relevance of Restorative Justice to generating safer societies (and the role that nonviolent communication plays in this, including using the 'protective use of force'.

The aims of our restorative work are:

1. to maximise community safety
2. reduce re-offending
3. engage people in processes which they value
4. develop everyone's learning (not least our own) about these processes.

(Crosland, Paul, 2008)

The above statement sits in contrast to the opening principle of restorative justice as stated in Marian Liebmann's book "Restorative Jusice -How it Works" which states that "Victim support and healing is a priority" (p26).  It appears that different forms of restorative justice emerge from a victim-support approach as to a safer-communities approach. It is quite possibly the case that the safer-community led approach is the more effective in reducing crime and satisfying victims.  An article on this matter is being prepared here on this site with others, having been turned down by the RJC for reasons that may be disclosed to individuals on request. [email me] Meanwhile (November 2009), I attach a link to an article entitled: Whose side are you on?).

The main editor of this site is Paul Crosland  (For Background info read Paul's Application for RJC Directorship)

If you support Restorative Justice, Paul suggests

A) That you join the Restorative Justice Council

B) That you also subscribe for occasional free Newletters (maximum 6 per year) via Mediation Support Ltd

What is Justice?

- a transcript of this film ;

made as a response to MP Douglas Carswell's assertion that "Restorative Justice is no alternative to Justice":

"I feel very allied with anyone who is sceptical of restorative justice; I'm sceptical of restorative justice too.

For me it's not a solution; it's an area of research. I'd very much want the enquiry to continue. For me, people who are questioning are very helpful, people who are wondering: 

• "Is this sufficient?"
• "Is this going in the direction we want?"
• "Is this going to create the kind of results we're looking for?"

I like the other thing that come sout of the quote [from MP Douglas Carswell that "Restorative Justice is no alternative to Justice"], which is a reminder that if we start doing this work, and particularly if we start practicising it, actively researching, then that imples a theory of conflict. And when we have theories underlying our work, in my experience it is a good idea to be as conscious of them as we can. Also a theory of justice [is implied]. I'm imagining that he sees restorative justice as a set of procedures and that he sees justice as something very different.

I imagine that when he uses the word 'justice' he's both referring to the Justice System and he's referring to something more intangible, but nonetheless, very, very concrete in the experience of victims who suffer the consequences of crime, offenders who suffer the consequences of society's response to their acts, and communities who often suffer both ways simultaneously. He's referring to that sense of justice being done [Touching heart]-this kind of justice; the kind of justice that we feel inside.

So the question that he is raising is: "Does restorative justice create more just outcomes?" and, of course, that depends on your definition of justice. 

"What is it that we consider is missing, is broken, is lost when these fundamental agreements that keep societies together are broken.."

[Paul Crosland interjects: The laws?]

Yes, the laws, the understandings between each other. Sometimes the laws are written down in the statute books and sometimes they are not. Nonetheless, essential to our idea of a just outcome.

• "What is a just outcome?"
• "Is a just outcome to create a similar, proportionate level of pain, loss, discomfort in the person who acted, possibly as an attempt to re-educate them around their behaviour. Does that create a just outcome?"
• "Or is justice something very different?"
• "Is justice about re-establishing, re-stitching therelationships that connect us? Is it actually about restoration; restoration not as in doing up the whole building, but restoration as in recovering balance after one has fallen, after one has tripped. So restoration needs to be understood quite specifically. It is not an attempt to return to a previous stage, because then we don't get the benefits of conflict, which are about learning, growing, moving forwards. So, is that what creates justice? Is justice whene we re-establish balanced, harmonious relationships? Is justice, at the end of the day, about connection: connection within us, and connection in the sense of shared experience and shared values as a community?"

So I would say that the potential that Restorative Justice holds out is to give us the possibility of investigating whether that second definition of Restorative Justice is actually realistic? Is it achievable? And if it is achievable, is it desirable? So, I welcome the question. I welcome the distinction that he make and I hope that he will be as willing as other people are to find the answer to his own question, by actually putting it into practice and testing it.

Other films in this series:

• 2010 Restorative Justice (No 1) Camden Clips
• 2010 Restorative Justice (No 3) Camden Clips: Helping others?

• 2010 Restorative Justice (No 4) Camden Clips -Feeling Safer is NOT Being Safer
• 2010 Restorative Justice (No6) Who decides what justice is? -Camden Clips 

If you liked these films, or have any ongoing interest in Restorative Justice Subscribe to the "Restorative Justice Streetbank" channel YouTube user name Toothpaste007

-and hear on twitter when new films are uploaded via:

or www.hasingsjustice.blogspot.com

RJ and developing everyone's learning (not least our own) about these processes.

Free on-line & printable copy of the book "40 cases: Restorative Justice and Victim-Offender Mediation"

What is Justice? RJ and developing everyone's learning (not least our own) about these processes. RJ and Community Safety RJ and reducing re-offending RJ and engaging people in processes which they value The tools to evaluate effectiveness Research How you can start editing this RJ wiki-site

RJ and Community Safety

Most people experience the Criminal Justice System as "distant" and "unaccountable" says government advisor, Louise Casey (18th June 2008)

BBC News story and report

Riots and Restorative Justice

RJ and reducing re-offending

MinistryOfJusticeJune08ReportOnRjAndRe-offending.pdf  (Ministry of Justice Link)

   The earlier 3rd Report -Restorative Justice Consortium Press Release

  (More RJ Research Findings)

RJ and engaging people in processes which they value

The tools to evaluate effectiveness

One approach is simply to ask these four questions:

 a) have I said what I wanted to say?

 b) have I been heard?

 c) have I been treated with respect?

 d) do I know what everyone involved is doing next?

A longer questionnaire is the:

• VictimSatisfactionFramework

Research

• The indication that victim awareness groups usually lead to increased re-offending is perhaps the most important (and frequently overlooked) restorative justice research finding in the last few years. A fuller paper explaning the implications of this is being prepared exclusively for this website. Meanwhile the original research document is here: Landenberger_Lipsey.pdf

• Research from the 3rd report (of the Crime Reduction Programme RJ Pilots), 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.

http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research190607.htm

(RJ Participant Satisfaction)

Information Sharing Protocols -an official website: http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/toolkits/ui04.htm

Other research reports:

Sherman-report-RJ-exec_summary.pdf  Sherman-report-RJ-full report.pdf (published February 2007)

Some of the broadcast/printed material on Restorative Justice (Radio 4 Religious programming followed here in particular):

Thought for the day on Restorative Justice -Vishvapani (30th October 2009)

Cherie Booth on Restorative Justice

Father of murdered teenager Kiyan Prince fights to keep criminals from going to jail

For the contents of this developing site see sidebar ->

How you can start editing this RJ wiki-site

For the password to this site Click on edit page, look at the 'request access' info on the right hand side and send a message identifying your engagement with Restorative Practice.

Then I'll enable you to edit and add content to this site. (Paul -also contactacle here):

When you have written a few words, click the save button, bottom left and then click back into the 'edit page' option. This will satisfy you that your changes have actully taken place on the web-page. When you have finished making changes always remember to save

For the contents of this developing site see sidebar ^

  (To edit any page just click on the word 'edit' at the top of this page, and request permission to edit)