Evaluation

One aspect of the development of restorative practices in Europe is the emphasis on evaluation to understand the processes, how they work, and their outcomes.

'Say sorry' scheme helps exclusions fall at Burnley school

from Nafeesa Shan's article in Lancaster Telegraph: Exclusions have dropped by two thirds at an East Lancashire school which has piloted a new scheme where troublemakers say sorry. Burnley super school Sir John Thursby Community College, has been working with the Youth Offending Team over the past year to help improve general pupil behaviour.

. National evaluation of restorative justice youth services in Scotland 2008-2009.

Almost all services were able to provide Face-to-Face Meetings (95%), Victim Awareness (95%) and Shuttle Dialogue (90%), which reflects the guidance categories. However, almost half the Restorative Justice processes did not involve any communication processes; the focus of work was predominantly Victim Awareness with the Person Responsible. With this Victim Awareness work, in only around 16% of cases was the Person Harmed informed or involved. Persons Harmed clearly liked the constructive nature of the processes involving direct communication, giving them a sense of closure. Responses from both persons Responsible and Persons Harmed reported the benefits of participating in Restorative Justice processes featuring direct communication. (excerpt)

. On the efficacy of victim-offender mediation in cases of partnership violence in Austria, or: Men don't get better, but women get stronger: Is it still true? Outcomes of an empirical study.

Put in a nutshell, the core finding of this study reads thus: The efficacy of VOM in cases partnership violence is to a large part due to the empowerment of the women victims, but partly, albeit to a smaller percentage, also due to an inner change, to insight and following from that a change of behaviour on the side of the male perpetrators. These achievements cannot be understood except as part of a comprehensive societal change – a change of collective mentalities, or in other words: change of expectations1 regarding the use of violence in intimate partnerships. (excerpt)

. Researching Community Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland: A cross-cultural challenge.

Northern Ireland is often viewed from the outside as one “country,” and hence not an obvious site for cross-national research. However, Northern Ireland is still a sharply divided society more than a decade on from the 1998 peace agreement. The differences between the two communities when viewed from within, however, are even more significant than first anticipated and there are sharp divisions with regards to culture, politics, history, and social context. Two particular challenges arise from research within such a context: firstly, the legitimacy and validity of findings in a society where there are many fiercely contested versions of “the truth”; and secondly, the consequences of the researcher being viewed as an “outsider.” This article will not suggest absolute answers to the challenges of cross-cultural research in a violently divided society, but rather raise points for consideration and debate. It will conclude that a cross-cultural methodology can address several weaknesses inherent in the often too generalized cross-national studies of divided societies. (Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov).

. The introduction of restorative justice approaches in young people’s residential units: A critical evaluation .

Restorative justice was introduced as a way of dealing with interpersonal conflicts, as well as with residents’ criminal and anti-social behaviour. This report evaluates the influence of restorative justice on young people and staff, and their experiences of its effects as a means of dealing with residents’ criminal acts, anti-social behaviour and interpersonal conflicts. It also analyses the effect that its introduction had on police call-outs to the four residential units. (excerpt)

Anne Lemonne. Comparing the Implementation of Restorative Justice in Various Countries: Purpose, Potential and Caveats

The aim of this contribution is to deal with the purposes,benefits and caveats of comparative studies in the field of restorative justice.This consideration is of first importance since more and more international conferences,seminars or 'fora' are dealing with the issue of comparison.The paper will examine the structural conditions for the increasing interest in comparative approach ,especially in Europe,highlight the relevance of undertaking comparative studies in the field of restorative justice;point to the main difficulties in developing comparative evaluative research;present two important methodological positions in developing comparisons between different countries'development;and the conclusion will elaborate upon potential and caveats of both methods and will suggest a framework of implementation for comparative studies in the field of restorative justice.

Attitudes of Victims and Offenders toward Restorative Justice

A June 2007 report from the Ministry of Justice in the UK reports the attitudes of victims and offenders participating in three different restorative justice schemes from 2001-2004. The evaluation shows that the majority of victims and offenders found the restorative justice process satisfactory, with communication being listed as one of the most important elements of the process.

Balahur, Doina. Romanian juvenile justice system towards its way to restorative practices.

The practice of VOM in Romania has been experimentally undertaken in Bucharest and Craiova. The two experimental centres have been set up in 2002 based on the partnership between the Department of Reintegration from Romanian Ministry of Justice, Centre for Legal Resources and the Foundation Family and Child Care. The technical assistance has been provided by the experts of DFID from UK. According to the aims and objectives of the VOM experiment only those types of crimes have been selected which are based on the criminal complain of the victim (battering, assault and other crimes against the person, insult etc). The persons - victims and young offenders - have been integrated based on their voluntary consent. (excerpt)

Beckett, Helen and O'Mahony, David and Doak, Jonathan and O'Mahony, David and Campbell, Catriona and O'Mahony, David and Jackson, John and Campbell, Catriona and Doak, Jonathan and O'Mahony, David. Interim Evaluation of the Northern Ireland Youth Conferencing Scheme

This bulletin presents the interim findings of an evaluation of the recently introduced Northern Ireland youth conferencing initiative. The findings are based on research conducted by the Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Queen's University, Belfast and focus on the functioning of the scheme in the early months of its operation, from its inception on the 1st December 2003 until the 31st August 2004. (excerpt)

Bitel, Mark. Preliminary Findings from the Evaluation of Restorative Justice in Schools.

The preliminary evidence from the pupil surveys does not show clear effects between the schools which are in the pilot (programme schools) and the comparator schools (nonprogramme schools). However, when comparing the pre- and post-intervention surveys in schools that have implemented restorative practices to a significant degree, there are clear trends that suggest that restorative practices are having a significant effect. (excerpt)

Blackburn, Maddie. Report on: Oxfordshire Youth Offending Service

The Oxfordshire Youth Offending Service operates across a large county. It is one of the largest youth offending services inspected in the first phase of the inspection program conducted by the Healthcare Commission and other agencies of the national government. The first several years after implementation of the national youth justice reforms in April 2000 have seen significant changes. Youth offending teams (YOT) have been established across England and Wales; new orders and interventions have been introduced; a common assessment system has been developed; and more emphasis has been given to a range of approaches, including prevention, restorative justice, and victim services. This then is the first full inspection in the context of these changes. This report covers the following aspects of the Oxfordshire Youth Offending Service: management and partnership arrangements; children and young people who offend or who are at risk; work with parents and caregivers; and work with victims.

Botchkovar, Ekaterina V. and Tittle, Charles R.. Crime, Shame, and Reintegration in Russia

The article begins with an extensive examination of shaming theory and prior research relating to it. Braithwaite’s shaming theory posits that reintegrative shaming inhibits future misbehavior and that those who participate in the shaming process are less likely to misbehave in the first place. Based on this examination, the authors hypothesize that: 1) participation in shaming is negatively associated with misbehavior; 2) having been reintegratively shamed is negatively associated with misbehavior; and 3) stigmatizing experience is positively associated with future misconduct. Four subsidiary hypotheses were also examined. Data were collected from interviews conducted in July and August 2002 with 224 Russian citizens, of which 70 percent were women. Dependent variables measured were the chance of personally committing one of four specific offenses; independent variables were participating in gossip, being reintegratively shamed, and being disintegratively shamed. Analyses of the data resulted in mixed evidence about shaming theory. The results suggest that contrary to the contention that reintegrative shaming would have a positive effect while disintegrative shaming would have a negative effect, the results provide evidence that shaming of any kind, whether reintegrative or disintegrative, may have negative consequences. The findings also show that participating in gossip is unrelated to future deviance and that guilt or fear of losing respect for others for potential misbehavior do not seem to be related to past shaming experiences nor do they mediate supposed relationships between past shaming experiences and misconduct. These findings, along with previous research, suggest that shaming theory may need further refinement. Study limitations are discussed. Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov.

Brignell, Georgia and Smart, Jane and Lawrie, Rowena and Brignell, Georgia and Potas, Ivan and Lawrie, Rowena and Thomas, Brendan and Brignell, Georgia and Smart, Jane and Potas, Ivan. Circle Sentencing in New South Wales: A Review and Evaluation

Part 1 presents the background and concept of circle sentencing. The process involves community members and offenders coming together to discuss the offense, the offender, and the consequences of the offense. The goal is to jointly arrive at an appropriate sentence for the offender. This justice process enjoyed success in Canada, spurring officials in New South Wales to adapt the process for use with Australian Aboriginal communities. A pilot circle sentencing initiative was undertaken at Nowra beginning in February 2002. The pilot program had 13 offender participants: 11 male and 2 female offenders. Part 2 reviews the circle sentencing procedures used in Nowra. Eight case examples of circle sentencing proceedings are presented throughout part 2 in order to demonstrate its practice. The case studies describe the circumstances of the offense, the proceedings, the sentence, and the progress reports at follow-up. Part 3 presents program evaluation results for the first 12 months of the programxe2x80x99s operation. Participants in circle sentencing were surveyed throughout 2002. Surveys were completed by community members, defense solicitors, police, prosecutors, the magistrate, defendants, and victims. The evaluation indicates that circle sentencing in Nowra has been effective in many ways. This type of justice model has been effective at reducing barriers between the courts and Aboriginal people; raising the level of support for Aboriginal people; incorporating victim support; empowering the Aboriginal community; offering relevant sentencing options with community support; and reducing recidivism. Part 4 assesses the role of circle sentencing in New South Wales given the success of the first circle sentencing pilot program. Given the positive results of the program, the only deficit discovered was the time commitment required to process an offender through circle sentencing. Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.

Call for restorative justice review

from the article on UTV News: Schemes carried out by Community Restorative Justice Ireland need to be reviewed according to an independent report. A Criminal Justice Inspection report has revealed only one case has been referred by the community restorative justice system to police in Northern Ireland since 2007. ....The 19-page report, found despite four recommendations being fully achieved and one partially achieved, several issues remain to be addressed.

Campbell, Catriona and O'Mahony, David. Mainstreaming Restorative Justice for Young Offenders through Youth Conferencing - the experience of Northern Ireland

The youth justice system in Northern Ireland is quite distinct and different to that in the rest of the United Kingdom or Ireland. It has also evolved considerably in the past ten to fifteen years and there have been very significant changes to its whole philosophy and operation as recently as 2003, with the introduction of a Youth Conferencing Service. The Conferencing Service now deals with young offenders using an approach based around the principles of restorative justice and the very process and structure of the system has changed to incorporate this new approach (detailed below). This paper looks at crime and how the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland deals with young people who have offended. It examines what is known about youth offending in general and looks specifically at a number of innovative approaches to criminal justice practice. The police response to youth offending is examined and their specialist teams of officers who deal with young offenders. The courts and sentencing are then looked at with attention being placed on the new arrangements for holding children in custody. The range of measures introduced following the Criminal Justice Review are then examined, and specifically the youth conferencing arrangements, which adopt a restorative justice model to deal with young offenders. The paper draws to a close with a critical overview of the major changes in our system of youth justice and the possible lessons that can be learnt from an international perspective. (excerpt)

Crawford, Adam. Victim/Offender Mediation and Reparation in Comparative European Legal Cultures: England and France

This paper reports on research activities and results based on a study of victim-offender mediation and reparation, a study conducted by Adam Crawford from 1996 to 1998. According to Crawford, Europe has experienced a proliferation of mediation and reparation, and appeals to mediation and reparation, across divergent countries, notably England and France. Hence, his research focused on those two countries. Through his study, he explored ways in which apparently similar practices are in fact implemented differently in various social, political, economic, legal, and cultural contexts. Specifically, he traced recent histories of victim-offender mediation in England and France, examined continuities and divergences between mediation in those two countries, analyzed the understandings of mediation held by key criminal justice personnel, and assessed the extent to which the rhetoric of mediation is fulfilled in practice.

Curry, Devinder and Semenchuk, Mike and Patel, Sunita and Owens-Rawle, Derek and Knight, Victoria and Williams, Brian. Restorative Justice in the Juvenile Secure Estate

This research was funded by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales in order to establish the scope of restorative work currently being undertaken within custodial and secure establishments, and to identify and disseminate good practice. It was undertaken by the Community and Criminal Justice Division at De Montfort University, Leicester between 2002 and 2003. The full report describes the use of a range of restorative interventions in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs), Local Authority Secure Units (LASUs)1 and Secure Training Centres (STCs) (collectively known as the juvenile secure estate). The research aimed to establish the extent to which restorative justice influences the regimes and programmes in secure institutions, as well as to identify good practice that might usefully be replicated elsewhere. (excerpt)

Dale, Geir and Hydle, Ida. Challenging the Evaluation of Norwegian Restorative Justice Experiences"

This article describes the various restorative justice practices in Norway in which we have played significant roles, and then proposes a model for evaluation based upon these. In so doing it makes a case both for restorative justice and for evaluation as critical for assessing the value of restorative justice and for learning and improvement. The paper concludes with a short analysis of an example of evaluatory research applied to a particular restorative justice project. (author's abstract)

Edgar, Kimmett and Bowen, Gillian and Bitel, Mark and Bowen, Gillian and Thurlow, Jane and Bitel, Mark. The evaluation of the Lambeth Restorative Justice Conference Pilot Project in Schools.

In May 2000, the Youth Justice Board in England initiated a plan to test, in two schools in Lambeth, restorative justice approaches in response to robbery and bullying in school settings. This was part of the Board’s overall exploration of interventions that might reduce youth crime. The project was devised in partnership with the Metropolitan Police in Lambeth. To evaluate the project, the Youth Justice Board engaged Partners in Evaluation and the Oxford Centre for Criminological Research. The evaluation, reported in this document, reviewed a number of key areas: levels of victimization, bullying, and robbery in the two schools; means for introducing restorative justice approaches in the schools; satisfaction of participants (victims and offenders) in the schools’ restorative justice conferences; short-term and long-term effects of the conferences on participants; and the larger effects of conferences, if any, on the nature and frequency of acts of victimization in the two schools. This paper presents research findings and analysis in these key areas, as well as a number of recommendations to enhance the use of restorative justice conferences in school settings. Additionally, several appendices provide further information on the study methodology, data-gathering, and research instruments.

Feasey, Simon and Williams, Patrick and Clarke, Rebecca and Williams, Patrick. An Evaluation of the Prison Fellowship Sycamore Tree Programme: based on a statistical analysis of Crime Pics II data.

Within the context of the Sycamore Tree Programme, the questionnaire has been used as an evaluative measure, assessing at both the pre and post programme stages. In doing so a difference measure can be calculated that looks at the degree of change from before to after the programme and therefore can be used to inform about programme impact/effectiveness. Central to the Sycamore Tree programme is the victim empathy area. In this regard, analysis of the V (victim empathy) scale is crucial in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of the Sycamore programme for its participants. (excerpt)