How to get the message out about Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter.
Do you ever feel like people don’t understand the true value of Restorative Justice? Do you sometimes feel like you are shouting into a void?
Restorative Justice can be a challenge to communicate.
Different audiences have different values, meaning that the way you communicate to them needs to change in line with that.
So, what are the key considerations when you are trying to get the message out about Restorative Justice? Here are three things to do, and three things to avoid, when communicating Restorative Justice.
Top tips
- Tailor your message based on your audience – emphasise different benefits and aspects of Restorative Justice depending on who you are talking to. For example if you want to share the impact of Restorative Justice with a Police and Crime commissioner, you may want to focus on the cost-benefit of the process, and the impact on reoffending, whereas for the general public, you might want to take a simpler, more accessible approach, focusing on the human impact of the restorative process using case examples.
- Make it accessible – it is important that everyone can access information about Restorative Justice, so consider how you can make your messaging accessible to everyone. Focus on using short messages, simple language, clear and consistent branding and reinforcing your key points.
- Vary the format of your content – you will be more successful in communicating your message if you ensure you have key information in a variety of formats – have you got online text, printed leaflets, graphics, short videos, audio and animations?
Things to avoid
- Mythbusting – although it may seem like a good idea, using phrases like ‘Restorative Justice is not a soft option’ will just reinforce the message you are trying to avoid. Instead, find another way to communicate your point without referencing the ‘myth’, e.g. ‘Restorative Justice is an optional addition to the conventional justice system’.
- Complex language and jargon – terms that are familiar to those of us working in the sector like ‘conference’, ‘facilitator’ and even ‘Restorative Justice’ can be unfamiliar to our audiences. It is best to explain the concept first and then introduce the terms later, or avoid them completely. E.g. ‘Someone harmed by crime may want the opportunity to have a dialogue with the person that harmed them. This can be done through a managed process called Restorative Justice’.
- Labelling individuals involved in the process – by using the terms ‘victim’ and ‘offender’, we reduce the entire identities of the people involved to their involvement in a single incident in their life. Instead, using ‘victim of crime’ and ‘person who committed a crime’ roots the label more in their experience of the ncident, rather than who they are as a whole. Where possible, using the phrase ‘people affected by crime’ can be useful in referring to anyone involved in a restorative process.
Want to know more?
If you are interested in making your messaging as efficient as possible, Why me? offer a half-day training package on ‘How to communicate Restorative Justice effectively’. If your organisation would like to know more about how best to get the message out about Restorative Justice, with tailored support to equip you to reach your community and get the buy-in of decision makers, get in touch with us via info@why-me.org.
We have also published a short guide that can support your communications activity.
