The Report from the National Commission on Restorative Justice highlighted the benefits of a restorative justice approach to criminal behaviour and found that its implementation on a nationwide basis would make a positive contribution to the lives of all citizens, victims, offenders and their families.
The Probation Service, in partnership with community based organisations and its statutory partners, currently delivers a number of restorative justice programmes and interventions.
Extending the range of restorative justice schemes is a strategic priority for the Probation Service. In 2012, the Restorative Justice Service based in Tallaght was extended to the Criminal Courts of Justice and to the Courts in South County Dublin while the Nenagh Community Reparation Project was extended to the Courts in North Tipperary. A restorative justice project focussing on young offenders has also been developed in partnership with the voluntary and community sector in Limerick.
The Probation Service is now in the process of finalising an integrated Restorative Justice Strategy. This strategy will set out a series of actions which the Service will drive forward, in collaboration with its partners, to bring about greater availability and integration of restorative practices at various stages of the criminal justice process.
For my part, my focus is to develop, to the greatest extent possible, the range of non-custodial options available to the courts. I believe restorative justice has a place in that range of options and it is my intention to build on the progress being made.