Members' Business: Increasing Awareness of Restorative Justice within the Criminal Justice System

That the Parliament recognises what it considers the importance of restorative justice in complementing the traditional criminal justice system in Scotland; understands that the process of restorative justice aims to bring those harmed by crime, including in the North East Scotland region, together with those responsible for the harm to participate actively in addressing or repairing the harm that was caused, with the help of trained facilitators; notes that this can involve direct and indirect initiatives, such as face-to-face meetings, shuttle dialogue or police restorative warnings; understands that this enables everyone affected by a particular incident to find a positive and tailored way forward, often including a chance for an apology to be offered in response to a crime committed; recognises what it sees as the benefits of restorative justice, such as empowering the victim by supporting them through their recovery and, it understands, a proven reduction in reoffending rates; commends the Restorative Justice Forum (Scotland) for the work that it has done to develop and raise awareness of restorative practices in Scotland; notes that restorative justice is not an alternative to a criminal trial but an approach that operates alongside the traditional justice system; understands that, during three pilot schemes in England, 83% of victims offered restorative justice wanted to take part; is aware of concerns that Scotland has been relatively slow to embrace a similar approach, and notes the calls for the Scottish Government to further champion the process of restorative justice, with the hope that Scotland can embrace a similar system of criminal justice.