What the evidence tells us about TVRJS

In June 2008 the Ministry of Justice published Professor Joanna Shapland’s 4th and final report on the evaluation of three restorative justice schemes – view a copy

The headline summary of the Shapland Report (s) evidence in a Thames Valley and Justice Research Consortium context is: -

• RJ reduces the frequency of further offending by 14% 

• RJ is cost effective and represents value for money.  Professor Shapland estimates that at best for every £1 spent on delivering RJ conferences, there were £9 subsequent savings to the criminal justice system. 

• It saves money for all criminal justice agencies in terms of reduced costs as a result of less frequent further offending. 

• RJ is popular with both victims and offenders -‘ a ringing endorsement of RJ’

• RJ is shown to be a tipping point in the motivation of those offenders who are minded to desist from further offending and the RJ process is a very powerful catalyst for change.

• RJ is safe