"Restorative processes bring those harmed by crime or conflict, and those responsible for the harm, into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.” Restorative Justice Council

Restorative justice is a form of
mediation which helps people
deal with crime and anti-social behaviour.

Restorative Justice:

- Gives victims a chance to have their say about what happened and how they were affected.

- Gives victims a chance to ask questions – like “why me?”

- Confronts those responsible with the impact of their actions, and gives them a chance to repair harm.

- Involves the community in finding solutions to crime and conflict.

Does it work?

Research has shown that:

- restorative justice reduces offending.
- victims are often more satisfied with restorative justice than the criminal justice system.
- restorative justice can help with anger and anxiety.
- restorative justice can work in all types of crime and ASB, including intimidation and harassment, assault, burglary, hate crime and murder.

See the website of the Restorative Justice Council for research findings and real life cases.

Common Ground’s restorative justice service

If you have been affected by crime: please contact us to discuss how restorative justice may help in your situation.

If you are part of an agency working with victims and/or offenders: We support your clients to take part in restorative justice – reducing reoffending and increasing victim satisfaction. Common Ground offers a restorative justice service to any agency that works with victims, offenders and communities, such as:

- Housing associations
- The Police service
- Prisons and Youth Offender Institutions
- Courts
- Victim support
- Youth Offending Teams
- National Offender Management Services
- Private and third sector suppliers of offender management and victim support services
- Offender rehabilitation and resettlement services
- Schools
- Youth services

You may wish to use our service either as a diversion away from enforcement options or in addition to civil and criminal processes. We can provide:

- A basic case referral service. You identify victims and offenders who are interested in restorative justice and refer the case to us. We will carry out the restorative intervention, provide you with regular updates, monitor progress and report back to you.
- An integrated service. We work alongside your staff and clients to help you develop a restorative approach to crime and antisocial behaviour, deliver training in accordance with your needs and provide independent restorative justice interventions where appropriate.
- Training.

We offer a range of courses from a short “Introduction to Restorative Justice” to the full “Restorative Justice Facilitator Training”. Please contact us to discuss options and rates.