"In 2004-05 the Smith Institute ran a highly successful series of seminars looking at case studies of the use of restorative justice (RJ) techniques among criminals and their victims, in schools, and within communities and neighbourhoods. Building on the impressive accounts of how powerful restorative justice techniques could be, as a way both of changing behaviour and of mitigating harm, this independent report was commissioned by the Smith Institute in association with the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation in order to examine the evidence on RJ from Britain and around the world. The aim of the project was to bring together the results of RJ trials in order to set out a definitive statement of what constitutes good-quality RJ, as well as to draw conclusions both as to its effectiveness with particular reference to reoffending and as to the role that RJ might play in the future of Britain’s youth and criminal justice systems."
