Restorative justice must put victims first, says Deputy PCC

Jim Battle Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jim Battle has welcomed a report pushing for legal changes to restorative justice, but says that victims must come first.

Speaking as the Justice Committee Select Committee released its report urging the government to work towards making sure victims of crime have a legal right to access restorative justice, Mr Battle said: "When used appropriately, restorative justice puts victims in the driving seat and helps them heal emotionally and financially from harm that has been done to them. But it must be victim-led. They must be the ones to decide who, what, where and how it takes place.

“While there are some excellent examples of restorative justice being used in Greater Manchester, the consistency of service is variable and people are still not clear on exactly what restorative justice is, how and when it should be used, and what its benefits are.”

The select committee report found that restorative justice is subject to a “postcode lottery” and because participation is voluntary, it is difficult to reliably budget for it.

In 2015, Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd commissioned Restorative Solutions to explore the use of restorative justice in Greater Manchester to identify what was being done well, and how improvements could be made. Their findings echo many of the points and recommendations made in the select committee report, and work is underway to address these.

The way victims’ services are delivered is being remodelled in Greater Manchester, and improved training and referrals for restorative justice will form a significant part of this work.

Better training for police officers is also being considered to help them identify those cases when restorative justice could benefit a victim of crime.

Restorative justice is designed to give victims the opportunity to confront offenders with the impact of their crime, and for offenders to repair the harm and make amends. The process only takes place if both the victim and offender agree to it, and if trained facilitators agree that it is safe and carried out correctly. It can be done in different ways, for example through face-to-face meetings or exchanged letters, but it must always be done with the guidance of trained professionals.