Consultation Response to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024-2025

Open Letter to the Lord Chancellor

The Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP??

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice??

Ministry of Justice, London SW1H 9AJ?

Dear Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State:?

I write in response to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ)?Independent Sentencing Review 2024-2025.??

Restorative Justice for All International Institute (RJ4All) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to your review, and I invite you once again to proactively engage with us and our members for a more consistent and worthwhile relationship. I also kindly ask that you respond to our concerns following your decision for an early release as well as the recommendations we have made to you regarding the implementation of the Victims’ Act and the revision of the Victims’ Code. All these initiatives are directly linked with this review.?

This response is the collective outcome of a number of individuals and organisations working in the criminal and youth justice fields. We submit this response as a collective voice advocating for justice that respects the restorative justice core principles of power-sharing, equality, dignity, respect and involvement in decision-making. In our response, we emphasise the need for a balanced, safe and voluntary restorative justice in the future sentencing structures of our justice system.?

As an evidence-based organisation, RJ4All advocates for restorative justice (RJ) grounded in rigorous research, empirical evaluations, and the lived experiences of those directly impacted by crime and justice processes. We believe that the following sections present a balanced and persuasive synthesis of RJ’s contributions to the statutory purposes of sentencing, informed by global practices and the voices of victims, offenders, and communities involved in RJ processes.?

At RJ4All, we view restorative justice as more than a simple meeting between the victim and the offender. Our holistic approach addresses all the needs of the harmed and harming parties—a terminology we adopt to emphasise the dynamic and multifaceted nature of justice processes. This includes physical, emotional, and social needs that both parties may encounter along the way, recognising the complexity of harm and healing. This is a key pre-requisite for a fairer sentencing system that reflects the needs of our communities, as well as needs of the harmed and harming parties in a conflict.?

It is equally important to note that RJ4All does not advocate for restorative justice as a panacea or a universal solution to all levels of criminality. Quite the opposite: we believe RJ is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach and it should only be an option alongside the system when the circumstances allow it. A rigorous and careful assessment process, as outlined in our Casework Journey document, is essential to determine whether a restorative justice practice is appropriate. This preparatory phase ensures that all parties’ needs and capacities are evaluated before proceeding.?

RJ4All is deeply committed to excellence and the delivery of practice that is safe, voluntary and high quality for all parties. I encourage you and the organisations who provide justice services to harmed and harming parties to consult the RJ4All Restorative Justice Practice Framework, developed in consultation with practitioners and based on best practice evidence. This framework honours core restorative justice values and principles, ensuring practices are safe, impartial, confidential, fair, voluntary, and of high quality. We oppose the standardisation of restorative justice and emphasise its community-led nature, free from domination, discrimination, bias, and power abuse.??

In conclusion, we have provided you with a series of evidence-based arguments drawn from multi-year projects, the wishes and experiences of practitioners, harmed and harming parties. Our efforts in helping you improve the sentencing structures of this country and what your government can offer to harmed and harming parties are linked with this review. This is a unique opportunity for your department to work more closely with our sector and our members, and we remain open for a meeting and further discussions.?

Prof. Theo Gavrielides, PhD,??

Founder & Director?

Restorative Justice for All International Institute (RJ4All?)?

https://rj4all.org | https://www.theogavrielides.com/?

Read the full response from RJ4All: Here