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In Support of Restorative Justice – Martin

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Cllr Christian Martin

Cllr Christian Martin

Cllr Christian Martin has submitted a statement to the next Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Commission meeting on 16th April in support of restorative justice.

Membership of the Commission is made up of all political parties and it reviews the Council’s work on matters such as health, sports and leisure.

Cllr Martin’s full statement is below:

I am pleased to see restorative justice has been given such high prominence by the Safer Bristol Partnership and Sue Mountstevens (the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset).

Restorative justice, put simply, cuts crime, improves lives and reduces costs. Bringing offenders, and their families if they are young offenders, together with victims and others in the community can be a hugely effective way of getting them to appreciate the consequences of their actions. Requiring them to work with the community helps to repair the damage caused.

The 2012 amendment to the Crime and Courts Act brought in the right to restorative justice. It has meant that our criminal justice system is no longer centred on the offender and has given victims more of a voice and more rights.

Countless restorative justice studies have shown that, for a whole range of crimes, where criminals face their victims in a secure and controlled environment it reduces reoffending. The Coalition Government’s own research found that 85 out of every 100 victims were either ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with their restorative conference.

Under restorative justice projects, criminals understand the consequences of their actions. It allows victims of crime to explain the impact on them. For the offender they come face to face with the consequences of their actions making what was abstract into a shameful reality. It is a hard pill to swallow – taking responsibility for their actions. It stops the young offenders of today becoming the hardened criminals of tomorrow.

I look forward to seeing how the Green House ‘Restorative Justice Sexual Abuse’ pilot, LinkAge’s ‘Intergenerational Restorative Justice’ project and Bristol Mediation’s ‘Road Sharing’ project develop in the coming months.


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