Restorative Justice Council

General information

The Restorative Justice Council (RJC) is the independent third sector membership body for the field of restorative practice. It provides quality assurance and a national voice advocating the widespread use of all forms of restorative practice, including restorative justice. The RJC’s vision is of a restorative society where everyone has access to safe, high quality restorative practice wherever and whenever it is needed.

Restorative practice is effective in building strong relationships and can help prevent and manage conflict in schools, children’s services, workplaces, hospitals, prisons and communities. In criminal justice, it is widely known as restorative justice. Restorative justice gives victims the chance to meet or communicate with their offenders to explain the real impact of the crime - it empowers victims by giving them a voice. It also holds offenders to account for what they have done and helps them to take responsibility and make amends. Government research demonstrates that restorative justice provides an 85 per cent victim satisfaction rate, and a 14 per cent reduction in the frequency of reoffending.

The RJC's role is to set and champion clear standards for restorative practice. It ensures quality and supports those in the field to build on their capacity and accessibility. At the same time, the RJC raises public awareness and confidence in restorative processes. The ultimate aim of the RJC is to drive take-up and to enable safe, high quality restorative practice to develop and thrive.