Restorative justice provides an opportunity for the victim to be consulted and participate in a dialogue with the person who has offended against them, this could be a face to face meeting or indirect reparation which could be a series of questions from the victim to the child. If appropriate, the victims and restorative justice officer will arrange a meeting with the young person so that he or she may apologise in person or arrange for a written apology to be received. The restorative justice officer can also arrange a family conference to discuss the impact of the crime and support the young person in taking responsibility for their actions.
Support for victims
For victims of a crime committed by a young person, the police will usually pass on the contact details to the YOS victims and restorative justice officer unless it is requested for them not to. The officer will contact the victim to arrange a telephone appointment.
During your discussion, the officer will:
- check if you have any concerns about the offender's behaviour towards you
- explain what happens to the information you give them
- explain the offender's sentence and how the sentence decision was made
- ask if you would like to be kept informed of key developments during the offender's sentence
- ask if you would like to be involved in any restorative justice processes
Involvement with the victim support service is voluntary, and you may change your mind about having contact with the YOS victims and restorative justice officer at any time.
At all times the YOS will respect the views of the victim, ensure confidentiality, and provide a safe environment for meetings. The YOS will not contact a victim if requested not to and will not apply any pressure on victims to meet with the offender if they do not wish to do so.
Find out more about restorative justice.