Background
RJ4All is at the forefront of driving impactful change by actively shaping policy design. Our focus is on key legislative measures such as The Sentencing Bill, The Criminal Justice Bill, and The Victims and Prisoners’ Act, all of which have significant implications for restorative justice. Through our work, we aim to embed restorative justice principles into these legal frameworks, highlighting their transformative potential.
Our efforts include comprehensive national and international research, grassroots interventions, and strategic advocacy. By doing so, we seek to ensure that policies not only reflect restorative justice practices but also empower communities to implement these approaches effectively. RJ4All is committed to fostering a justice system that emphasises healing, accountability, and the potential for positive change.
Our effort alone isn’t enough for success. In order to harness the power of collective voice, we actively partner with other like-minded organisations, advocacy campaigns and alliances, and local communities. Through these collaborations, ongoing dialogues towards integrating restorative justice principles into legislation are facilitated.
Three Policy Priorities of RJ4All for 2024/25
RJ4All’s policy advocacy is currently focused on two key legislative pieces under consideration by Parliament and one Act, which recently became law following active advocacy by RJ4All throughout its passage.
By focusing our efforts on these legislative measures, we can streamline our campaigning initiatives to ensure the inclusion of restorative justice, thereby advancing the broader pursuit of justice.
Why Focus on These Pieces of Legislation?
The Sentencing Bill, the Criminal Justice Bill, and the Victims and Prisoners Act are all intrinsically linked to the immense pressures facing the country’s criminal justice system. England and Wales are grappling with a prison capacity crisis, as the prison population has risen by 80% over the last 30 years and is projected to increase by a further 7,400 people by the end of 2024. The average direct cost per prisoner in England and Wales is £33,628, rising to £51,108 when all resource expenditures are included. These challenges are compounded by ongoing questions about victims’ rights, debates over Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, and the urgent need for alternatives to incarceration. At the same time, studies have shown that diverting adult offenders from standard prison to alternative interventions saves the UK public sector between £19,000 and £88,000 per offender, highlighting the financial and social benefits of incorporating restorative justice into the criminal justice system.
RJ4All has chosen to focus on these pieces of legislation because they present a unique opportunity to integrate restorative justice principles into the legal framework, addressing these pressing issues holistically. By drawing on both our organisation’s expertise and our partnerships, we have already initiated campaigns to elevate the role of restorative justice in these discussions. Importantly, our policy requests are evidence-based and non-political, advocating for cross-party support and unity to promote restorative justice as a viable solution to restore harm and improve outcomes within the criminal justice system.
Policy Perspective and Key Engagement
Overview of the Act
The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, enacted in May 2024, focuses on enhancing support for crime victims and managing prisoners in the UK. Key provisions include appointing advocates for victims, particularly following major incidents, and reforms to parole procedures and prisoner management. The Act aims to strengthen victims’ rights and improve rehabilitation processes within the prison system.
RJ4All’s Stance
During the revision of the Bill earlier in 2024, RJ4All advocated for an amendment to establish a statutory right to restorative justice. We emphasised the importance of ensuring victims are informed about and can choose to participate in restorative justice processes.
Read more about the bill and RJ4All’s recommendations
Overview of the Bill
The Criminal Justice Bill has three key aims: enhancing the powers available to the police and others to “cut crime and anti-social behaviour”, introducing tougher sentencing and supervision of sexual and violent criminals, ensuring that police officers “adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
RJ4All’s Stance
RJ4All acknowledges that addressing the prison capacity crisis should not necessarily entail adding more prison places, and we recommend harnessing the power of restorative justice to address underlying societal imbalances, rather than treating crime in isolation. Specifically, we propose:
1) Deliver informal social regulation in a way that promotes cohesion. For example, in order to address anti-social behaviour, community policing aligned with Restorative Justice principles might involve meetings, conferences and dialogue to discuss the impacts of certain actions.
2) Apply the potential of restorative justice to the current prison capacity crisis. Instead of turning automatically to prison sentences in response to (particularly minor) crimes, we might think about freeing up prison space by considering alternative ways of delivering justice such as community-based sentencing.
Read more about the bill and RJ4All’s recommendations
Overview of the Bill
The Sentencing Bill focuses on three main areas: the sentencing of those convicted of murder or sexual offence, the suspension of custodial sentences, and the release of offenders. Some have expressed concerns that the bill will have a limited impact on high demand for prison places.
RJ4All’s Stance
From a restorative justice perspective, RJ4All supports the provisions in the Sentencing Bill that promote alternatives to custodial sentences, particularly for minor offences.
Read more about the bill and RJ4All’s recommendations
RJ4All’s mission to inform policy design is ongoing, employing a multi-faceted approach that integrates expert insights, community experiences, and public campaigns. By leveraging these diverse perspectives, RJ4All aims to elevate discussions about restorative justice and ensure its prominence in policy conversations.
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