Funding limitations will hamper restorative justice goal
Neil Puffett
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Expansion of restorative justice projects will be limited because of a shortage of funds, the chair of the Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour has warned.
Speaking at the Addressing Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour conference in London, Anthony Salz said the use of the practice is set to be expanded by government, although not as much as the commission had hoped.
The sentencing green paper, which is due to set out proposals imminently following a public consultation, featured the increased use of restorative justice as one of its initial proposals in December last year.
The green paper highlights restorative justice as a suitable alternative to the criminal process.
"In discussions we have had with the Ministry of Justice there will be some adoption of restorative justice but on a less than ideal basis due to limitations with funding," Salz said.
Last summer a report by the Independent Commission on Youth Crime found that the introduction of restorative justice across England and Wales would halve the current number of juveniles in custody.
That report called for the restorative justice system in Northern Ireland to provide the model for major changes to the youth justice system.
Salz said he felt the coalition’s record so far on youth justice was "encouraging" but "dampened by some inconsistencies and a shortage of funding".