Restorative Justice & The Probation ServiceRestorative Justice & The Probation Service

An Overview of Restorative Justice within An Overview of Restorative Justice within Probation Service PracticeProbation Service Practice

& & Presentations from Probation funded Presentations from Probation funded community based Restorative Justice Projectscommunity based Restorative Justice Projects

Probation Service and Restorative Probation Service and Restorative Justice - An overview Justice - An overview

Probation Service Mission, Values and EthosProbation Service Mission, Values and Ethos

Probation Service Strategic Goals Probation Service Strategic Goals

Restorative Justice in the Probation Service Restorative Justice in the Probation Service

Probation Service and VictimsProbation Service and Victims

Strategic Goals: Strategic Goals: To reduce re-offending to create safer To reduce re-offending to create safer

communitiescommunities Reduce re-offending and victimisation through Reduce re-offending and victimisation through

promoting and managing community promoting and managing community sanctions sanctions

Build and develop strategic alliances and Build and develop strategic alliances and partnershipspartnerships

Enhance our organisational capability, Enhance our organisational capability,

excellence and innovationexcellence and innovation

Restorative Justice Restorative Justice within Probation Practicewithin Probation Practice

Dedicated Restorative Justice projects (Reparation Panels / Dedicated Restorative Justice projects (Reparation Panels / Victim Offender Mediation) Victim Offender Mediation)

Family Conferencing - Children Act 2001 (Conferencing) Family Conferencing - Children Act 2001 (Conferencing)

Community Service / Community Return ( Reparation) Community Service / Community Return ( Reparation)

Midlands Traveller Conflict and Mediation Initiative (Victim Midlands Traveller Conflict and Mediation Initiative (Victim / Offender Mediation) / Offender Mediation)

Development of Restorative Thinking and Restorative Development of Restorative Thinking and Restorative Dialogue in the Assessment and Supervision of OffendersDialogue in the Assessment and Supervision of Offenders

Probation Service and VictimsProbation Service and Victims

Victim Charter Victim Charter

Victim Services Co-ordinator – ‘Single Point of Victim Services Co-ordinator – ‘Single Point of Contact' Information, Support & Referral Contact' Information, Support & Referral

Victim Impact Assessments Victim Impact Assessments

Victim Sensitive Approach to Working with Victim Sensitive Approach to Working with OffendersOffenders

Brief Overview 2000 – 2010Brief Overview 2000 – 2010 Restorative Justice Services Restorative Justice Services

& Nenagh Community Reparation & Nenagh Community Reparation ServicesServices

RJS and NCRP established 2000 RJS and NCRP established 2000 Providing Reparation Model to local courts Providing Reparation Model to local courts Low tariff offences Low tariff offences First time / low level OffendersFirst time / low level Offenders Completion DPOA / Strike outCompletion DPOA / Strike out

RJS – also provides Victim / Offender Mediation RJS – also provides Victim / Offender Mediation

Core elements of the Restorative ModelCore elements of the Restorative Model

Court referred - Pre- sentenceCourt referred - Pre- sentence

Reparation panels (Stakeholders) Reparation panels (Stakeholders)

Contract of reparative actions Contract of reparative actions

Supervision of contract Supervision of contract

Return to court for sanctionReturn to court for sanction

National Commission National Commission on Restorative Justiceon Restorative Justice

- Report 2009- Report 2009

Recommendations …Recommendations … Particular focus on 3 modelsParticular focus on 3 models Offender ReparationOffender Reparation Victim Offender MediationVictim Offender Mediation YPP Conferencing YPP Conferencing Acknowledging potential benefits for victimsAcknowledging potential benefits for victims Improve cost effectiveness of the models Improve cost effectiveness of the models Existing services to Existing services to expand expand Accommodate higher tariff cases / offenders Accommodate higher tariff cases / offenders Increase number of case referralsIncrease number of case referrals

Advancing National Commission Report Advancing National Commission Report Recommendations / TargetsRecommendations / Targets

Structural and organisational change Structural and organisational change Reallocation of resources Reallocation of resources Reviewing the service delivery model Reviewing the service delivery model Facilitating the participation of victims Facilitating the participation of victims Expand the geographical area of service delivery Expand the geographical area of service delivery

and provide service to more Courtsand provide service to more Courts Promote the Higher Tariff model and engage the Promote the Higher Tariff model and engage the

key stakeholders in the new locations and courtskey stakeholders in the new locations and courts Identify opportunities for further involvement and Identify opportunities for further involvement and

input from community sectorinput from community sector

Results and OutcomesResults and Outcomes

Positive buy in from the stakeholdersPositive buy in from the stakeholders

Significant increase in number of referring courts and Significant increase in number of referring courts and referrals referrals

Models now processing Higher Tariff offences Models now processing Higher Tariff offences

Changing profile of the referred offenderChanging profile of the referred offender

Increased focus on victim interests Increased focus on victim interests

Court sanction – changing context Court sanction – changing context

Challenges and OpportunitiesChallenges and Opportunities

Managing future growth within the context of current Managing future growth within the context of current resources whilst maintaining a high standard of service resources whilst maintaining a high standard of service delivery and ensuring best practice delivery and ensuring best practice

Ensuring the RJ models are delivering for allEnsuring the RJ models are delivering for all - Participants- Participants - Stakeholders- Stakeholders

Continuing to be proactive in identifying and providing Continuing to be proactive in identifying and providing appropriate roles for the Community Sectorappropriate roles for the Community Sector

Consolidating and strengthening relationships with the Consolidating and strengthening relationships with the stakeholders and learning from each others experiencesstakeholders and learning from each others experiences

Aims of the Limerick RJ ProjectAims of the Limerick RJ Project(in conjunction with YPP)(in conjunction with YPP)

Le Chéile Restorative Justice Project

What the Restorative Justice What the Restorative Justice Project isProject is

A Limerick Based project – which aims to A Limerick Based project – which aims to establish a model/framework for professional establish a model/framework for professional practice in Restorative Justice with Young practice in Restorative Justice with Young offenders.offenders.

Working with young people aged 12-18years.Working with young people aged 12-18years. It is a multi agency response to youth It is a multi agency response to youth

offending.offending. It promotes a new way of thinking in terms of It promotes a new way of thinking in terms of

RJ practices across the community, voluntary RJ practices across the community, voluntary and statutory sector.and statutory sector.

Le Chéile Restorative Justice Project

Le Chéile Restorative Justice Options:1. Restorative Conference2. Victim Offender Mediation3. Victim Impact Panel4. Victim Empathy Programme5. Reparation

Restorative Justice Initiative

Violent AssaultViolent Assault Two VictimsTwo Victims Gang of YouthsGang of Youths AlcoholAlcohol Peer PressurePeer Pressure Night TimeNight Time

Case StudyCase Study

Young PersonYoung Person: “: “I was stuck for words...... I I was stuck for words...... I didn’t know how to say I was sorry”.didn’t know how to say I was sorry”.

VictimVictim: “Very positive, rewarding & a very : “Very positive, rewarding & a very worthwhile process”.worthwhile process”.

Family MemberFamily Member: “Why wasn’t this done : “Why wasn’t this done years ago. I have seen huge changes in my years ago. I have seen huge changes in my son since he started working here. I trust son since he started working here. I trust him more”.him more”.

QuotesQuotes

Limerick RJ - Progress to DateLimerick RJ - Progress to Date

RJ Advisory GroupRJ Advisory Group CSC- RP SubgroupCSC- RP Subgroup IIRP TrainingIIRP Training Training Modules for RJ & VIP designed Training Modules for RJ & VIP designed RJ Volunteers Trained and in supervisionRJ Volunteers Trained and in supervision Pool of Victims trained for Victim Impact PanelPool of Victims trained for Victim Impact Panel Victim Empathy Programmes designedVictim Empathy Programmes designed Prescriptive procedures for all RJ modelsPrescriptive procedures for all RJ models Host Agency for Reparation identified and staff trained.Host Agency for Reparation identified and staff trained. Interagency collaboration with statutory, community and Interagency collaboration with statutory, community and

voluntary sectorvoluntary sector Procedures outlined for engaging victims of crime with An Procedures outlined for engaging victims of crime with An

Garda Siochana and Support After CrimeGarda Siochana and Support After Crime

Next StepsNext Steps Extend Extend and and strengthen strengthen our dedicated restorative justice our dedicated restorative justice

projects projects

Increase awareness Increase awareness and promote the use of restorative justice and promote the use of restorative justice as a viable sanction as a viable sanction

Increased role for Increased role for Community Members/ Volunteers Community Members/ Volunteers

Develop more Develop more inclusive and sensitive victim servicesinclusive and sensitive victim services

Implement good practice Implement good practice and and consistent standards consistent standards

To Conclude … To Conclude …

Offenders Offenders are at the centre of what we do are at the centre of what we do

Victims Victims are at the centre of our concern are at the centre of our concern

Community Community is at the centre of our practice is at the centre of our practice

Restorative Justice Restorative Justice has the potential to be at has the potential to be at the centre of the solutionthe centre of the solution