Nature of RJ service

(See here for full organisational profile, updated Aug 2025) 

Model(s) of RJ services provided

1. Victim-offender mediation
2. Restorative conference
3. Reparation programme (through community-based projects)
4. Bespoke restorative justice

Main process elements and short description of each model that the service provides

Victim-offender mediation (VOM): VOM is a process that provides victims with the opportunity to meet the offender in a safe, controlled setting with a mediator who facilitates a discussion between the parties to addrss and repair the harm caused.

Restorative conference: A conference is a structured and facilitated meeting of the offender, the victim, their family members and community and statutory representatives. Through discussion and collaboration, the conference aims to agree a plan to enable the offender to make amends for the harm caused.

Reparation programmes: See service profiles for Restorative Justice Services and Restorative Justice in the Community.

Bespoke restorative justice: Bespoke restorative justice is a tailored approach that recognises the harm caused and the wider social context of offending. The interventions draw from resources available within the relevant community. The offender is supported to participate in activities that highlight the impact of the harm caused and allow for either direct or indirect reparation for the victim and/or community.

Each of these models makes provision for direct or indirect dialogue between the offender and the victim. The preparation for and delivery of these models is facilitated by trained staff who ensure that the process is fully compliant with the principles of neutrality, confidentiality, problem solving, voluntariness and self-determination.

Number and nature of cases

Details of restorative justice cases managed by the RJVSU in the two-year periods 2019/20 and 2020/21 are set out in the following tables. It is estimated that in those periods Probation Officers managed another 20 and 12 cases, respectively, without RJVSU involvement. During the period, 2020/21 the Unit engaged with 26 victims in response to a range of queries, approximately 20% of which related to RJ queries.

*Community representatives other than victims, offenders and these participants’ families may be involved under the bespoke model, but are not involved in other models.

Offence type

Note – some cases involved more than one offence; for 2020/2021 cases, the principal offence is shown in the table while for 2019/2020 all offences are listed.

Age and gender of offender

Case outcomes