December update – Restorative Community Development webinar; spotlight on Scotland; European sex offenders’ Recommendation

RJS4C collaborates on restorative community development webinar – register now!

Following a successful in-person event in Cabra in February 2020 (!), we are collaborating with several local restorative practice partnerships to organise a national webinar on restorative community development. This will take place online on March 1st (9:30-11:30) – click here to register, or see the attached programme for more information.

Irish Probation Journal publishes article on restorative justice for adult offenders in Northern Ireland

The Irish Probation Journal (IPJ) has published an article by Aideen McLaughlin, Assistant Director of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI), on the North’s work to develop a new strategic approach to delivering restorative justice in the adult justice system. You can also find a summary of consultation responses regarding the new strategy here, and the PBNI’s contribution here.

Wexford Restorative Justice Service launches new website

In collaboration with the Department of Justice and Probation Service, the Wexford RJ Service has launched a new website, with information to help professionals refer cases. You can find more information about the Cornmarket Project’s restorative justice pilot in Wexford here, and the website of the Wexford Restorative Practices Partnership here.

Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change – Spotlight on Scotland

RJS4C is a partnership of 10 countries, each undertaking similar activities to us. Every month, we’ll spotlight another country. This month, Scotland released an annual progress report for their Restorative Justice Action Plan. Recently, Scotland has seen a national consultation on RJ with survivors of gender-based violence, an animation explaining RJ to the public, a practice toolkit with model forms and other resources, and (perhaps most excitingly!) a draft delivery model and partnership structures to roll out RJ services across the jurisdiction (not dissimilar to some of the models discussed in the recent Department of Justice consultations here in Ireland!).

Restorative justice features in new Council of Europe Recommendation regarding the assessment, management and reintegration of persons accused or convicted of a sexual offence

The Council of Europe adopted the above Recommendation, with provisions on restorative justice and victims, in October 2021. In particular, you may be interested in Rule 33 of the Recommendation, which states: “Participation in restorative justice interventions, where available and appropriate, should be facilitated by providing information on the nature, relevance and availability of these interventions.” You can find the full text of the Recommendation here, and the commentary here (see paragraphs 95-101).

Restorative justice and victim services in the news

• To celebrate her new book, check out this podcast with Imelda Wickham, discussing the treatment of people in custody and their families, and the potential for restorative approaches.
• Shaneda Daly was recently interviewed in the Independent, discussing her experience of restorative justice – check it out here.
• Good Housekeeping recently published an interesting article on restorative justice in cases of sexual violence.
• At a recent Victims’ Rights Alliance meeting, the Executive Director of Victim Support Europe argued that Ireland should have a Victims Commissioner.
• The Minister for Justice announced new funding for 18 victim support organisations.
• One of Le Chéile’s RJ week events was written up in the Limerick Post – see here.
• England and Wales is running a consultation on a new Victims’ Bill and has made other announcements regarding victims’ policy.

Other events and materials of possible interest

• The European Forum for Restorative Justice has published videos and other materials from its RE-JUSTICE project on judicial training in restorative justice. Check it out here.
• If you are trying to implement restorative justice or restorative practices in your organisation, you may be interested in this series of training videos on implementation sciences by the Centre for Effective Services.
• Unlocking Potential, a project which aims to make higher education more accessible for people with convictions, is launching on January 17th – find out more and register here.
• The King’s Inns is taking applications for its Advanced Diploma in Mediation – find more information here.