Restorative justice unit that brings together victims and perpetrators to receive boost in funding due to increase demand

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The ACT government will boost funding for its restorative justice unit in response to an increase demand. More staff will be brought in to run conferences between victims of crime and perpetrators, while the scheme itself will be reviewed.

Transcript

00:00It's been an option for victims of crime in Canberra for 20 years, and now the ACT's

00:07restorative justice scheme is being boosted.

00:10The scheme sets up a conference between a victim of crime and their perpetrator.

00:15After two decades, its popularity has grown as more offences have been included.

00:21We have seen increasing demand for the program and also increasing complexity, particularly

00:26since the opening up of the scheme to family and sexual violence offences.

00:31During a conference, the offender takes responsibility for their actions, while the victim explains

00:36how they have been affected.

00:38In some cases, it's an alternative to court, though it can run alongside a prosecution.

00:44Sitting across the table from somebody who is taking responsibility for it and being

00:49accountable for it, no excuses, is quite a different experience from what you can see

00:55in the traditional system.

00:56A team at Melbourne's RMIT University will review the scheme.

01:01They'll also look into alternatives to criminal prosecution for survivors of sexual offences.

01:07We're very keen to look at a range of civil options and the RMIT study will examine what

01:11is available.

01:12A sensitive approach to the often confronting pursuit of justice.

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