Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner invests £1.1 million to support victims and reduce reoffending through Restorative Justice Service

Police and Crime Commissioner, Michael Lane, has awarded a new three year contract to provide Restorative Justice in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton that seeks to ensure everyone who wishes to can access this life changing service.

Michael Lane said: “"Supporting victims is always on my mind and Restorative Justice works in restoring and re-empowering lives for better more confident futures.  And its process adds value beyond the victims themselves for families and friends also impacted by the legacy of the harm caused.  That this can also positively impact the lives of perpetrators is welcome and an added contribution to our communities being safer into the future. 

Restorative Solutions CIC have been awarded the new contract and will be building on the foundations set over the last year since the Commissioner launched his strategy.  The Commissioner met with Restorative Solutions in Restorative Justice Week (19-26 November) to set out his aspirations for the fully inclusive service. He also presented Restorative Solutions with their Restorative Service Quality Mark (RSQM) certificate.

Kate Hook, Director of Business Support at Restorative Solutions said: “We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with the Police and Crime Commissioner and partners in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. We are looking forward to further expanding the reach of the service and helping more people on their journey to recovery and to resolving the harm caused by crime.”

Michael who was the victim of an assault in the course of his work as a postman used the Restorative Justice Service commissioned by the Police and Crime Commissioner. His thoughts on the process are: “I wasn’t expecting anything out of it, but towards the end and immediately after it was like a cloud had been lifted over my anxiety and the situation.

“In terms of the relationship between me and him, it brought things from a negative into a neutral, friendly territory. And then after, it was a case of if I was working I could walk past his house and I could feel confident that nothing was going to happen and it would be just like any other house. I would recommend it; it’s worthwhile doing.”

The other person involved in the in incident, Kaz, said that “(without the Restorative Justice Process) I might have felt that I was more in the right than he was; whereas I realised I was probably more in the wrong. It helped me to understand what I did wrong.”

The responsibility and funding for the commissioning of RJ Services transferred to local Police and Crime Commissioner’s at the same time as other victim services. The MOJ Grant Agreement in relation to the commissioning of Victims’ Support Services, states under the conditions of the grant, that this should include RJ Services.