The Restorative Hub is a brand new addition to the Criminal Justice System in County Durham and Darlington, supporting victims and offenders by giving them the chance to communicate in the aftermath of a crime, through a process called Restorative Justice.
What’s in it for ME? Restorative Justice can bring those harmed by crime, and those responsible for the harm, into communication, giving everyone affected an opportunity to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a way forward. It allows you to have your say, get answers to your questions and a chance to communicate with the offender. This could be done by meeting in person, by writing to one…
Anti-social behaviour is a phrase used to describe a range of activities that effect people’s enjoyment of their homes or communities and which can lead to disputes between neighbours and families.
Restorative Justice can take place at any stage of the criminal justice system including out-of-court, pre-sentence and post sentence. It is important that Restorative Justice takes place at the right time for the parties involved, particularly the victim.
Court Based Restorative Justice If the crime is going to Court, you will be asked if you would like the opportunity sooner (before sentence) or at a later time.
How restorative justice has helped other victims locally… Some of the victims who have participated in Restorative Approaches in County Durham and Darlington felt empowered to share their story, to help others gain the confidence to consider Restorative Justice for themselves.
What does a Restorative Justice Facilitator do? Put simply, Restorative Facilitators ‘facilitate’ dialogue between a victim and their offender, to give them the chance to communicate. This could be, for example, by arranging for them to meet in person, where you’ll conduct a carefully managed conversation between them. Alternatively, it could just involve relaying written or verbal messages between them.