On Friday I visited the Restorative Justice Initiative, based in Beaumont Leys. I was greeted by Denis Tanfa, who showed me around.
Denis explained that the Restorative Justice Initiative works to promote restorative justice/mediation services for the public benefit as a means of resolving conflict and promoting reconciliation by:
a) Promoting the use of restorative justice in the criminal justice system, in schools, in the workplace and elsewhere in the community in situations where conflict may arise.
b) Advancing education and research on restorative justice and the publication of the useful results of that research.
c) To provide alternative methods (Restorative Justice – mediation services) of dealing with crime, wrongdoing and conflicts to young people and local communities
d) To assist t young people at-risk of offending (in care) to deal with conflicts through mediation with families and train them to gain an understanding of the Criminal Justice Process
e) To promote family and community cohesion – hence crime prevention amongst migrants population and local community members
f) To contribute and promote a safer and stronger community through alternative disputes resolution and mediation
g) To assist in the reintegration of ex-offenders and to provide Restorative Justice Meetings to incarcerated offenders to give them an opportunity to make amends to their victims.
h) To advance the education and training of migrant communities and their dependents in need thereof so as to advise them in life and assist them to adapt within a new community
i) To assist crime victims in their healing and offenders to take responsibility for their actions.
You can read more about this organisation HERE.
