Members' Business: Increasing Awareness of Restorative Justice - 22 May 2018
Channel: The Scottish Parliament
Date: 2018-05-22

Liam Kerr: Increasing Awareness of Restorative Justice within the Criminal
Justice System—That the Parliament recognises what it considers the importance of restorative
justice in complementing the traditional criminal justice system in Scotland; understands that the
process of restorative justice aims to bring those harmed by crime, including in the North East
Scotland region, together with those responsible for the harm to participate actively in addressing
or repairing the harm that was caused, with the help of trained facilitators; notes that this can
involve direct and indirect initiatives, such as face-to-face meetings, shuttle dialogue or police
restorative warnings; understands that this enables everyone affected by a particular incident to
find a positive and tailored way forward, often including a chance for an apology to be offered in
response to a crime committed; recognises what it sees as the benefits of restorative justice, such
as empowering the victim by supporting them through their recovery and, it understands, a proven
reduction in reoffending rates; commends the Restorative Justice Forum (Scotland) for the work
that it has done to develop and raise awareness of restorative practices in Scotland; notes that
restorative justice is not an alternative to a criminal trial but an approach that operates alongside
the traditional justice system; understands that, during three pilot schemes in England, 83% of
victims offered restorative justice wanted to take part; is aware of concerns that Scotland has been
relatively slow to embrace a similar approach, and notes the calls for the Scottish Government to
further champion the process of restorative justice, with the hope that Scotland can embrace a
similar system of criminal justice.

Published by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

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