Youth Offending Service - Restorative Justice

When a young person commits a crime and is subsequently referred to the Youth Offending Service, we aim to offer most victims of such crimes the opportunity to be involved in the process in a range of ways, which are encapsulated in the phrase “Restorative Justice”.

During 2004-05, 500 victims of youth crime were contacted by Cumbria Yos and offered the opportunity to be involved in restorative justice processes.  These range from simply being kept informed of the outcome the work with the young person, through to direct face-to-face meetings between victim and offender.

In order to ensure that we provide a service that responds to the needs of the victims with whom we work, at the end of our contact with victims, we ask them complete a satisfaction questionnaire.  Whilst the number of victims choosing to take up the offer of Youth Offending Service intervention, and subsequently responding to the satisfaction questionnaire is comparatively low, of the 70 victims who did respond, the level of satisfaction with the service provided continues to exceed the 75% target set by the Youth Justice Board.  This was noted as an example of good practice in the recent Yos Inspection.

Alongside working with victims directly, we also arrange where relevant for young people to carry out work in their local community, aimed at repairing the harm they have caused through their crimes.