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“Offenders’ apology programme to expand: Cathy Jamieson, Scotland?s justice minister, last night promised to provide extra funding for a controversial anti-crime programme that will put pressure on juvenile delinquents and petty criminals to apologise to their victims. In contrast to the hard-line policies of the past, Scotland?s local authorities and police forces are embracing the concept of restorative justice and by the end of this year, it is expected the scheme, favoured by the First Minister, Jack McConnell, will cover the entire country. . .” Scotsman
Posted by MM on Thu 22nd Apr 2004 at 1:03 pm“Facing up to juvenile offending: Traditionally, the standard police approach to tackling fledgling delinquents was to drag them into the nearest station and issue an unofficial caution known as a “superintendent?s warning”. Its sole purpose was to make the wayward youth cry, or at least tremble with fear [. . .] In contrast to the hard-line policies of the past, Scotland?s local authorities and police forces are embracing the concept of restorative justice. By the end of this year, it is expected the scheme, favoured by the First Minister, Jack McConnell, will cover the entire country. . .” Scotsman
Posted by MM on Fri 20th Feb 2004 at 2:30 pm“Tutu calls for forgiveness, not revenge, in penal policy: Archbishop Desmond Tutu called last night for a new approach to penal policy in Britain in an attempt to ease the pressure on “overcrowded” jails. He made an impassioned plea for the desire for revenge and retribution which, he said, drives criminal justice systems around the world, to be replaced by an approach based on forgiveness and reconciliation. . .” Independent
See also
Posted by MM on Tue 17th Feb 2004 at 9:50 pm
“Justice scheme ‘is a soft option’: Young offenders are getting off too lightly under Glasgow’s restorative justice scheme, it was claimed today. The project was branded a soft option after it emerged two boys aged 12 and 14, who caused ?50,000 damage to a train, spent a week of their holidays at a rail depot as punishment. Tory MSP Bill Aitken condemned the scheme after also learning a 15-year-old boy with a previous record, who was involved in attacks on firefighters, was given a caution and ordered to tour a fire station . . .” Evening Times
Posted by MM on Mon 9th Feb 2004 at 11:29 pmUpdate
“Thrills and spills as justice tops the agenda: Youth justice was discussed in Parliament yesterday, and nobody used the word “ned”. How disappointing. Even the Tories seemed happy with the Executive?s new youth-friendly approach. . .” Scotsman.
“Neds rear ugly heads but executive escapes by a whisker: Ah, neds. Love, loathe or lynch them, where would we be without them? They are the fuel that runs our little parliament and animates the great debates of our nation. . .” Herald
See Also
Scottish Parliament. Official Report, Youth Justice Debate. 8.1.04.
Following posted on 8.1.04: 3.25pm.
Media
“Drive to stop youths re-offending: Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson today announced plans to double the number of young offenders made to face up to their crimes through “restorative justice” projects. . .” Evening News.
“Boost for youth court scheme: A new youth court is to be set up in Airdrie after the success of a pilot scheme in Hamilton. Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said the Hamilton project, which was started in the middle of last year, was still at an early stage but initial signs were encouraging. . .” Evening Times
“Measures to tackle young offenders: A second youth court is to be established in Scotland, following a successful pilot project in Hamilton. The new court for young offenders in Airdrie is part of a ?35m package of youth justice initiatives announced at Holyrood by minister Cathy Jamieson. . .” BBC
Press Release
“Extra funding for youth justice: Some ?35 million of additional resources over two years will be invested in youth justice as part of the Executive?s Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) drive, it was announced today. The resources will, among other things:
? Extend the Youth Court initiative to a second sheriff court;
? Double to 6,000 the number of young people who will have to face up to their offending through ?restorative justice? projects
? Ensure that support is given to implement national standards by 2006 so that every children?s hearing can achieve ?fast track? performance. . .” Scot. Exec.
Research
Fast Track Hearings: Interim Research Report. November 2003.
An Evaluation of the SACRO (Fife) Young Offender Mediation Project.
See Also
Scotland’s Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime. Scot. Exec. 2002.
Rethinking Criminal Justice in Scotland. Summary. Scottish Consortium on Crime and Criminal Justice.
Restorative Justice Consortium.
Posted by MM on Fri 9th Jan 2004 at 2:17 pm“Youth scheme cuts reoffending: A scheme which forces young offenders to face up to their crimes has reported a 99% success rate. Only five of the 500 youths who entered the Restorative Justice programme in Glasgow committed further crimes. . .” BBC
“Youth justice scheme hailed a big success” Evening Times
Posted by MM on Sat 20th Dec 2003 at 2:27 amIn a recent lecture to the Howard League Scotland, Professor Antony Duff, of the University of Stirling, argued that the advocates of a purely restorative justice system and those who aim to simply impose punishment, are both right. It is therefore wrong to think that these approaches to justice are mutually exclusive.
He said that we should see criminal punishment as a restorative process, distinguishing the nature of the wrong doing in a criminal act from that of harm caused by the behaviour - for which civil mediation is appropriate. Punishment and restoration are not incompatible, rather “we should seek repair, reconciliation, and restoration ? and deserved punishment “. The aim of our response to crime should be to achieve restoration through punishment.
Lecture Hand Out
Full text of similar presentation by Professor Duff.
The Howard League Scotland’s Programme of Spring 2004 Lectures in Edinburgh and Glasgow is now available.
Posted by MM on Wed 17th Dec 2003 at 10:56 pm