Restorative justice
Restorative justice gives the opportunity for people harmed by a crime and the people responsible for the harm to share how the crime has affected them. It lets everyone involved play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.
The communication can be a face-to-face meeting or a letter, recorded audio interview or video.
Or you can share messages or questions with the facilitator who then speaks to the other party.
Restorative justice is completely voluntary for all those taking part. Trained facilitators assess risks and make sure that the process is safe for everybody involved.
Restorative justice is used for any type of crime and at any stage of the criminal justice process, including if the offender is serving a prison sentence.
For more information visit the Restorative Justice Council.
How to apply for restorative justice
You can apply online, either for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
We'll ask you for:
- your full name and date of birth
- a contact phone number and/or email address
- your full address and postcode
- how you would like us to contact you (by phone or by post)
- the date the crime happened
- your role in the incident - are you the person who was harmed or did the harming?
- any reference you have been given (eg crime reference number)
- If you’re making this request on behalf of someone else, you’ll need to provide their details and tell us your relationship to them
You can contact us at any time if you've been the victim of a crime or anti-social behaviour and would like to find out more about Restorative Justice and our services.
Make an application
Apply on behalf of someone else
What happens next?
Someone from the restorative justice team will contact you within seven working days of your application to explain the next steps.
All facilitators are experts on restorative justice and the process moves at a pace the victim is comfortable with.