New Restorative Justice Article

A Systematic Review of Participant and Facilitator Experiences of Restorative Justice Interventions in the Forensic Secure Estate

Really good to see the recent publication of a systematic review looking at participant and facilitator experiences of restorative justice interventions in the forensic secure estate. The review was carried out by Kathryn Rowsell, Kirsty Pegg, Pete Wallis and Richard Barker, two of whom (Kathryn and Pete) are Mint House trustees.

The studies unearthed in the review aren't plentiful (only 9 in all) but they do use a mix of research designs, making for interesting comparisons. In a nutshell 'the result of this review supports the use of restorative justice within the forensic secure estate.'   Amongst its benefits, restorative justice can help shift  'unhelpful and inaccurate internal narratives' enabling participants to develop a more positive sense of themselves. The best effects are likely to be achieved where restorative justice is introduced with involvement and buy-in of staff at every level, and where the prevailing culture is trauma-informed.

To read the article, you can find it here, though it is behind a registration wall.