Public Disorder: Restorative Justice Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Massey of Darwen
Main Page: Baroness Massey of Darwen (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Massey of Darwen's debates with the Ministry of Justice
(13 years ago)
Lords Chamber
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering the use of restorative justice in dealing with the riots in August.
My Lords, we are committed to delivering more restorative justice. We want to ensure that victims of the riots have a chance to explain the impact on them and that offenders face up to the consequences.
I thank the Minister for that response. Would he agree that restorative justice schemes have resulted in victim satisfaction and cost-benefit analysis, and that reoffending has been reduced by such schemes? Would he say how many such schemes there are and whether they will be rolled out more extensively?
Initially there were three such schemes. There have been about 60 enquiries about restorative justice, and we are very keen to roll out the schemes as quickly as possible. In response to the recent riots, there have been elements of restorative justice in both London and Manchester. I assure the noble Baroness that it is an element of the criminal justice system that we are very eager to learn lessons from and to expand.