Restorative justice for victims

If an act of crime committed against you has been referred to a restorative justice conference, the police or courts view this approach as the best course of action.

If you choose to participate, you will have the opportunity to engage in a restorative justice conference, facilitated by a trained convenor, where you can:

• meet the young person who committed the offence
• tell their story and how the incident has effected you
• ask questions
• express your concerns
• be involved in the justice process
• contribute to shaping the outcome, including suggesting how the young person should start making up for the harm they have caused.

A convenor will also guide you through:

• what a restorative justice conference is and why we do them
• different ways you can be involved
• the entire restorative justice conference process, including  what happens before, during and after the meeting and who is invited to attend.

Most victims who have participated in a restorative justice conference said they would recommend the process to other victims. Read their testimonials.

Benefits for victims attending a conference

Acts of crime can often cause serious harm to victims with long-term effects, including diminished confidence, optimism and sense of safety.

Research shows that restorative justice conferencing can help victims recover from this harm through:

• being involved in the justice process
• having a say about the offence and the outcome
• meeting the offender
• understanding more about the offence committed against them.

The victim’s recovery from an offence is also assisted by being able to have support people, including family, friends, community representatives or support services, participate with them.

Involvement from family and supports

Having family members attend the conference can provide a great amount of support for the victim. It is an opportunity for all attendees to explain how this offence has impacted not only the victim, but their family, community and loved ones.

Conferencing provides an opportunity for the families to:

• provide support to their loved one
• be involved in the justice process
• assist the victim through the process
• be involved by guiding the young person towards changing their behaviour.

This restorative justice process allows the significant people in the life of the victim to help manage the response to an offence. The conference seeks to bring people together, strengthen relationships, help people recover from an offence, and provide a timely response.

Disapproval is directed toward the offending behaviour and the goal is to ensure all participants are treated with respect and support. Research has shown that this can reduce offending and help all participants feel safer and more satisfied.

Find supports and service

If you have been the victim of a criminal offence committed by a young person, the following support services may be available:

Victim eligible person register – youth crime

As a victim of crime, you may have the right to access information about the young person who committed a crime against you.

Find out more.

Have more questions?

Download our frequently asked questions (PDF, 190KB) or (DOCX, 193KB) to learn more about restorative justice conferences.