4 November 2013

MOJ’s new Victims Code includes restorative justice interventions for victims of crimes committed by young offenders

News and events

Tuesday 29 October saw the publication of the Ministry of Justice’s new Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, which outlines the support and information victims of crime need, including restorative justice interventions.

 

The Code for the first time provides information about restorative justice for victims of crimes committed by adult offenders as well as young offenders. The provision of restorative justice interventions to all victims, regardless of the age of the offender was a key recommendation outlined in the report Restorative Justice for Young Adults: Factoring in Maturity and Facilitating Desistance, produced on behalf of the T2A Alliance by the Restorative Justice Council.

 

The report also outlines the importance of restorative justice practitioners being aware of the practice implications of a lack of maturity amongst young adults and states that restorative should be used to develop maturity and facilitate desistance among young adults who offend. Through including restorative justice in the Code, the MOJ hopes to raise its awareness and better support victims.

 

The Victims’ Code also offers an enhanced service for victims of serious crime and persistently targeted or vulnerable victims. Additionally, it offers specialist help for young victims as well as the opportunity for victims to tell the court how a crime has impacted on them by making a Personal Victim Statement in court.

 

Implementation of the new Victims’ Code is expected to begin in December 2013.

 

Read the Victims Code here
Read the report, Restorative Justice for Young Adults: Factoring in Maturity and Facilitating Desistance here.