News
Overhauling a broken system: The Times Crime and Justice Commission Report
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, The Times newspaper’s Crime and Justice Commission released their ‘Report into the state of the criminal justice system’. The report is the culmination of a year of work, led by journalist Rachel Sylvester, alongside a group of Commissioners from “the […]
Getting answers through parole hearings
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. As of the beginning of this month (April 2025), the Government has implemented a new initiative where victims of crime can attend the parole hearings of the people who committed crimes against them. In a press release from the Ministry of Justice, […]
Why me? at Punch
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Yesterday, (Thursday 27th March), the Why me? team attended Punch, the play about Restorative Justice at the Young Vic theatre. The play explores the story of Jacob Dunne, a man who aged 19 years old, went on a night out and threw […]
Mitigating risk in Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, we held our first forum of 2025, examining the topic of Mitigating risk. We were delighted to have Emeritus Professor Joanna Shapland share her research on this topic with our attendees. Professor Tim Chapman, another leading academic in the restorative […]
Calm and chaos: A story of probation
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Simon Armitage, the Poet Laureate and a former probation officer has published a new poem about his experience working within probation. The powerful poem is an insight into both the joys and challenges faced by those working within the prison and probation […]
Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline Through Restorative Practices
This is a guest blog by Faye Sellers, a volunteer for Why me? who is currently studying a Masters degree in Criminology at the University of Bath. The school-to-prison pipeline refers to the systemic process where marginalized students are pushed out of mainstream education and into the criminal justice system. This occurs due to […]
Breaking out of the Justice Loop
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Recently Why me? attended the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies’ launch event for their new report, ‘Breaking out of the Justice Loop’. The report examines how the justice system is not designed for women, and consequently isn’t fit to suit their […]
A night at the Smiley Charity Film Awards 2025
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, Why me? attended the Smiley Charity Film Awards as our short film was selected as a finalist. It was a fantastic event, highlighting the hard work of the charity sector, displayed through an array of powerful short films. Our 4-minute […]
Esther Ghey: Finding forgiveness
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, Esther Ghey, mother of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey who was murdered in 2023, appeared on Woman’s Hour, discussing how she has come to find forgiveness for the two people who killed her daughter. Last February, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were […]
New training opportunity: Value-led and experiential learning
Why me? are delighted to be working with Professor Tim Chapman on a new set of training courses which take a different approach, focusing on the values and lived-experience behind the restorative process. Tim is a Trustee for Why me? and a leading academic in the Restorative Justice field. Tim says “The training takes a […]
Responding to London Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan
This is a blog by our CEO, Sara Dowling. Why me? has responded to the London Mayor’s Police and Crime plan consultation making the case for the greater use of Restorative Justice to help deliver its objectives of reducing violence and criminal exploitation, increasing trust and confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and […]
Meet the speakers: Mitigating risk
On the 27th of March, Why me? will be holding our first forum of 2025 on the topic of ‘Mitigating risk’. The forums are an opportunity for anyone with an interest in Restorative Justice to come together and share their thoughts and ideas on a particular topic pertinent to the sector. The March session will […]
Know your rights
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. We want to ensure that people affected by crime know their rights. With Restorative Justice now being featured in the play ‘Punch‘, on at the Young Vic theatre from the 1st of March, now is the time to capitalise on the increased […]
Why me? meet the Prisons Minister
This week, Why me?’s CEO, Sara Dowling, met with the Minister for Prisons, Parole and Probation, Lord Timpson to discuss Restorative Justice. The meeting was the result of a question raised by our Ambassador, and Liberal Democrat MP for Wimbledon, Paul Kohler, in a recent session of Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). During the PMQs, Paul […]
Keeping the ‘J’ in RJ
This is a blog by our Training and Service Coordinator, Mark Hamill. In the world in which the majority of you and I both work, the world of Restorative Justice, I have recently noted a marked shying away from the term ‘Restorative Justice’ in preference for ‘Restorative Practice’. Of course, for many years, this […]
Implementing the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024
We recently received an update from the Ministry of Justice about the implementation of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. The update outlines the first steps being taken by the Government to enact the victim-related measures in the Act, which was passed in May last year. They suggest that “this milestone is a crucial step […]
Making a Physical Space for Difficult Conversations
This is a blog by Angie Kaye, a Senior Restorative Justice Facilitator for prisons in the Thames Valley area for 12 years. “Peace is always right here. You just have to create a space for it.” – Carol Tuttle What makes for a successful restorative meeting? There are many answers, but I’d like to […]
Interfaith Restorative Justice project update
This is a blog by the Interfaith Restorative Justice project partners from Why me?, the Faith and Belief Forum and Interfaith Glasgow. In this blog we take a look back at our first year to celebrate what we’ve achieved so far. We hope to bring you […]
The Government’s Sentencing Review: Why me?’s response
This is a blog by our CEO, Sara Dowling. The criminal justice system is currently in crisis. More and more people are being sent to prison, often on short sentences which are proven to cause further harm. In 2024 prison overcrowding became such a problem that an early release scheme was introduced where prisoners […]
Reflections on conducting interviews for the Interfaith Restorative Justice Project
This is a blog by Dr Hannah McGuinness Begum, Community Outreach Officer at The Faith & Belief Forum (F&BF). Why me? are partnered with The Faith and Belief Forum, alongside Interfaith Glasgow, to deliver a project on the use of Restorative Justice to address hostility to and between faith groups. As part of our […]
Seeking justice for victims of antisocial behaviour
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. The Home Office have recently published a news story outlining how victims of criminal antisocial behaviour are going to receive more support to facilitate their healing. The announcement highlights the Government’s ‘Plan for Change’ which will implement new measures as a response […]
Is there any place for shame in Restorative Justice?
This is a blog by Angie Kaye, a Senior Restorative Justice Facilitator for prisons in the Thames Valley area for 12 years. The names given in this blog have been changed to protect the identity of those involved. Shame has hit the headlines recently in the case of Gisele Pelicot, drugged by her husband […]
Getting answers to ‘Why me?’
This is a blog by Dr Diana Batchelor, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in Criminology at the University of Sheffield School of Law. Her current research explores victim-survivors’ understanding of the causes of crime. Diana has worked in criminal justice and conflict resolution in the UK, South Africa, and Lebanon, in roles ranging from frontline support […]
What’s coming up in 2025?
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Happy New Year! Here at Why me? we are excited for the year ahead, a fresh opportunity for lobbying the Government, campaigning for wider access and promoting Restorative Justice to new audiences. In this blog, we explore some of the things we […]
Reflecting on a busy year at Why me?
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius, who is leaving the Why me? team this January. It is with mixed emotions that I am saying goodbye to Why me? after an exciting year as Communications and Campaigns Officer. It feels like forever ago – and yet no time at […]
A year in review: 2024 at Why me?
This is a blog by Why me?’s CEO, Sara Dowling. As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on a year of big change and meaningful impact at Why me?. A new Government has brought hope and opportunity to a broken criminal justice system, and Why me? have worked hard this year to capitalise […]
Saying goodbye to Kate Aldous
This is a blog by our Deputy CEO, Kate Aldous. After over four years as a Trustee and then as a staff member, I am moving on from Why me?. I have loved being part of the Restorative Justice world. The more I have learned about RJ, the more important I believe the work […]
Taking responsibility in Restorative Justice: How much is needed?
This is a blog by Angie Kaye, a Senior RJ Facilitator for Prisons in the Thames Valley area for 12 years. Previously she worked as Director/Producer of human rights documentaries for BBC TV. “Restorative Justice can’t even begin when the offender pleads not guilty or takes little or no responsibility for a crime.” This […]
When the helpers become the harmed
This is a blog by Becky Childs, Service Manager at Restorative Cleveland, part of the Safer Communities Group. The violent disorder that occurred this summer deeply shocked and harmed many individuals and businesses, causing damage within our communities and reinforcing the need for a shared response to support healing and repair. Initial exploration as […]
Why me? is leaving Twitter/X
Why me? has made the decision to stop posting on Twitter in 2025. We have made this decision for a few reasons, but primarily because it no longer aligns with our values. In our research prior to coming to this decision, we came across some statistics and key events that were impossible to ignore: “Within […]
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed intentionally by a partner or family member. 1 in 3 women and girls experience violence in their lifetime. These numbers are indicative of the epidemic of violence against women and girls that we face in […]
Celebrating and remembering in a quiet corner of North Wales
This is a guest blog by the Restorative Justice Team of the Gwynedd Môn Youth Justice Services. During Restorative Justice Week 2024, the Gwynedd Môn Youth Justice Services did not want to miss out on the opportunity to join in the global celebration and promote our day-to-day restorative work. The Youth Justice Service works […]
Reflections on Restorative Justice Week
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. We hope that everyone enjoyed Restorative Justice Week 2024 – it was a week full of passion, shared messaging, celebration and encouragement across the world. We were delighted to see a buzz around Restorative Justice throughout the week, with conversations and events […]
Youth Justice, Restorative Justice and hate crimes/incidents
This is a guest blog written by Deirdre Leask from Southwark Youth Justice Service. Southwark Youth Justice Service’s Hate Incident Working Group has been meeting since 2022, developing a six-module programme for case managers and young people involved in hate crimes or incidents. On average, around six young people are referred to us annually […]
What would you say?: Behind the scenes of our short film
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Happy Restorative Justice Week 2024! This RJ Week, Why me? released our brand new short film, ‘What would you say?’ Creating this film was a unique experience, where the Why me? team went along on a journey, aiming to authentically capture the […]
Restorative Justice and my faith
This is a blog by Mahmooda Qureshi, West Midlands Programme Coordinator at The Faith & Belief Forum. The Faith & Belief Forum works in partnership with Why me? and Interfaith Glasgow to deliver our interfaith Restorative Justice project, which explores how Restorative Justice can be used to resolve community conflicts and address faith-based hate crime […]
Spotlight on research: Restorative Justice and social justice
This is a blog by Thomas Procter-Legg, Doctoral Teaching Fellow and DPhil Candidate at Hertford College, Department of Education, University of Oxford. Have you ever wondered how Restorative Justice can contribute to broader social justice reforms? A recent article by Thomas Procter-Legg, Jonathan Hobson, and Ernest Quimby, “Restorative justice and social justice: an international […]
What’s coming up in Restorative Justice Week 2024?
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Restorative Justice Week 2024, which runs from the 17th to the 23rd of November, is fast approaching! This year’s theme is “The promise of Restorative Justice in a polarising world.” We are excited to share our plans for the upcoming week, which […]
Black History Month 2024: Reclaiming narratives
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. This week marks the end of Black History Month 2024, a time to celebrate the achievements of Black people in the UK and beyond, whilst simultaneously acknowledging the work that still needs to be done to achieve an anti-racist society. The theme […]
The Sentencing Review: a much-needed opportunity for a criminal justice reset
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. On 21st October, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, announced that the Government would be undertaking an independent sentencing review, following through on its election pledge. The announcement is the latest measure that the Labour Government has taken […]
Expanding restorative and growing healthy communities
This is a blog by Inger Brit Lowater and Benjamin Fisk, PhD students supervised by Dr. Jon Hobson at University of Gloucestershire. In a ‘Building a New Reality’ (BANR) webinar hosted by Ted and Josh Wachtel on Wednesday 16th October 2024, we discussed the relational and restorative work taking place in Gloucestershire. With their […]
Meet Why me?’s new Trustees!
Why me? are pleased to announce that three new Trustees have joined our team. We are delighted to welcome Tim Chapman, Emma Jones and Ben Andrew to our Board. They each bring a unique skillset which will help our small charity to continue to support people affected by crime. Tim Chapman Tim Chapman had a […]
Does curiosity really kill the cat? The power of inquiry in Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Simone Mitchell-DaCosta. Simone is a dedicated social justice advocate with extensive experience in social justice policy, practice and research. She currently serves as a Restorative Justice Officer at the Ministry of Justice in Jamaica where she has been instrumental in implementing and facilitating RJ programmes at the community level. She […]
National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2024: A person-centred way to stop hate
This is a blog by our Deputy CEO, Kate Aldous. Hate crime is under-reported. Only half of hate crimes are reported to police, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales. When it is, satisfaction with the response is low. Restorative Justice is a different response. It facilitates safe and supported communication between […]
We have moved!
After many years in our old office space, we have moved! Why me? is now based in Brixton at 3Space International House. We look forward to welcoming you to our new office space in the near future. Please make a note of our new details: Our new address is 3Space International House, 6 Canterbury Crescent, London […]
The power of Restorative Justice to tackle anti-social behaviour
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. This year, the Crime Survey for England and Wales found that 25% of people perceived anti-social behaviour to be a fairly or very big problem in their area. There was also an increase in the number of people who were victims of, […]
Prison isn’t working for women, says Justice Secretary
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, declared that prisons are not working for women. In order to reduce the number of women who are incarcerated, and ultimately cut the number of women’s prisons, she introduced a […]
Victims of crime failed by the justice system
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. Last month, the Victims’ Commissioner published the results of her annual Victims’ Survey. Based on the voices of 3,048 victims of crime across England and Wales, the report explores victims’ experiences with and perceptions of the Criminal Justice System over the past […]
Healing community harm: reflections from the sector
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, Why me? ran a forum, “Healing Community Harm”, bringing the sector together to discuss how we can use restorative interventions to address the widespread harm caused by the racist and Islamophobic violence in early August. Attendees spoke of the different […]
The voices of Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Restorative Justice is a personal process, tailored to the needs of the people taking part. Because of this, it looks different for everyone, both in process and outcome. Hearing the testimonies of people who have been through it is the only way […]
“I am stuck in prison with no way out”: The institutional harm of IPP sentences
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. What are IPP sentences and what damage are they causing? In 2005, the Labour Government introduced the ‘Imprisonment for Public Protection’ sentence as part of their tough on crime approach. Under an IPP sentence, prisoners had no set date for their release. Instead, […]
Making sense of the early release scheme: The role of Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. In July, in response to a prison capacity crisis which saw prisons routinely operating at above 99% capacity, the newly appointed Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, announced urgent changes to the early release scheme for people serving standard determinate sentences. In order to […]
A Restorative Justice response to far-right violence
This is a blog by our Deputy CEO, Kate Aldous. I watched with horror as the recent anti-immigration and racist violence spread across the country, and then with very mixed feelings, the Government’s harsh crackdown. I wanted this frightening and hate-filled behaviour to stop – and I am greatly relieved it has. But I […]
Finding a new path through Restorative Justice
This is a guest blog by Rory Sloan, Founder and Managing Director of ResoluteM;nds. Rory shares his story of substance abuse, mental health struggles, crime, and eventually rehabilitation through the power of Restorative Justice. I struggled with substance abuse and severe mental health issues from the age of 14. As I grew up, I […]
What is environmental Restorative Justice?
This is a guest blog written by Prof. (Dr.) Sairam Bhat and Vikas Gahlot. Dr. Sairam Bhat is Professor of Law at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. Mr. Vikas Gahlot is Senior Research Associate at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. This blog explores how Restorative Justice can be used […]
Why me? on set and in the studio!
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. It’s been an exciting few weeks at Why me?! We have been on set and in the studio, recording Series 2 of Restorative Talks and producing a short film. One of the biggest challenges we face as an organisation is the lack […]
Join the Why me? Board of Trustees!
Are you passionate about Restorative Justice? Do you want to make a difference? With a new CEO in post and a strategy review underway, Why me? is looking for three new Trustees to join our Board, helping to guide and support our small but passionate charity. We are especially interested in people who have experience in […]
Maximising access to Restorative Justice: 10 Asks for PCCs
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. This week Why me? is publishing our 2024 ‘10 Asks’ campaign, outlining ten key steps that Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales can take to ensure that Restorative Justice is safe and accessible in their area. Our pre-election pledge campaign […]
Making a difference to Why me? through fundraising
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Over the past few years, small charities across the country have felt the strain on fundraising that arose through the pandemic and has continued through the cost of living crisis. This dramatic change in the fundraising landscape has left many organisations with […]
Journey not destination: The importance of process in Restorative Justice
This is a guest blog by Daniel Cunningham, Restorative Justice Lead at Victim First (Catch 22). Across the Restorative Justice (RJ) sector there is often a strong focus on outcomes: Was there a dialogue? Was there a meeting? Was there shuttle mediation? Restorative processes and practices must be designed around what people affected by […]
Working restoratively with young people
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. July has been an exciting month of events here at Why me?! We held our bimonthly forum and a launch event for our new report on using restorative practices in Alternative Provision settings. Both events explored how restorative approaches can be implemented […]
My journey to Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Cheryl Jacob, newly recruited Team Administrator at Why me?. I found the recent job posting for Team Administrator at Why me? at an incredibly opportune time in my life. I had decided on a change of career and was intent on finding work in an organisation that was determined […]
A chance for change: Tackling the prisons crisis under the new Government
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, a new Parliament was formed as Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, took over as Prime Minister. With the first Labour Government in 14 years, this marks a momentous opportunity to bring about change across the country. In this blog, we […]
Why me? at Glastonbury!
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. At the end of June, Why me? was excited to attend Glastonbury Festival to spread the word about Restorative Justice on the Left Field stage! Our wonderful ambassador, Janika, attended on behalf of Why me? to join a panel of criminal justice […]
Restorative Justice and religion
This is a blog by our Training and Service Coordinator, Mark Hamill. Restorative Justice owes a debt to religion. Many of those who first articulated the concept of Restorative Justice in the mid to late 20th century drew inspiration from religion as well as indigenous traditions. Howard Zehr, widely known as ‘the grandfather of […]
Survivor-centred justice for sexual and domestic violence
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. It is now well established that for survivors of domestic violence or sexual abuse, accessing ‘justice’ is even harder than for victims of other crimes. The backlog of rape cases means that over 3,000 people are still waiting for their cases to […]
A Restorative Justice Safety Net
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Did you know that Why me? run a safety net Restorative Justice service, taking on cases that local services can’t? Restorative Justice services across the UK do incredible work, helping people affected by crime to be heard and to access the resources […]
Campaigning for change during the General Election
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Last week, major political parties released their manifestos in advance of the General Election on the 4th of July. The manifestos outline their key priorities and the actions they intend to take, should they be elected next month. Each of the parties […]
Safety and mitigating risk in Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Training and Service Coordinator, Mark Hamill, in collaboration with Professor Joanna Shapland. Joanna Shapland is Edward Bramley Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Sheffield. Her contributions to Restorative Justice have been significant and varied, including directing the national evaluation of Restorative Justice in England & Wales. […]
LGBTQ+ people in the Criminal Justice System: Reflections during Pride Month
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. Happy Pride Month from all of us at Why me?! June is a time of celebration and joy, but it should also be a moment to take stock of the ongoing challenges that LGBTQ+ people face both within and outside of the […]
Celebrating one year at Why me?
This is a blog by our Deputy CEO, Kate Aldous. It’s now been over a year since I started working at Why me? – so a good time to pause and reflect on how it’s going and where we are. I have learnt more about Restorative Justice, and seen more evidence of its power […]
The power of Restorative Justice on stage
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. Punch, a moving play about the power of Restorative Justice, is running at the Nottingham Playhouse until 25th May. The production has been an overwhelming success, garnering national media attention and completely selling out. The play was written by James Graham, a celebrated […]
General Election 2024: What does this mean for Restorative Justice?
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Update: The Victims and Prisoners Bill was granted Royal Assent on 24th May has therefore become the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. More information can be found here. This week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak requested that the current Parliament be dissolved on the […]
Interfaith team training in Glasgow
This is a blog by our Restorative Justice Trainer and Service Coordinator, Mark Hamill. At the start of this month, Mark Hamill, our newly-appointed Training and Service Coordinator, and Deputy CEO, Kate Aldous, led Restorative Justice training across two days for our interfaith project partners, The Faith and Belief Forum and Interfaith Glasgow. The […]
A Child First approach to Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our new Restorative Justice Trainer and Service Coordinator, Mark Hamill. You can read more about Mark on our ‘Meet the Team’ page here. Child First is the title given to the four evidence-based principles that inform current practice in Youth Justice in England and Wales. Originating from research undertaken […]
Reframing Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter, co-posted with The Mint House. Why me? want to see a world where people affected by crime know what Restorative Justice is, know how to access it and can readily explore whether it might be suitable for them with a trained expert. […]
Restorative Justice billboards spotted across the UK!
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. Last week, Why me? launched a national billboard campaign promoting Restorative Justice in partnership with the JCDecaux Community Channel. We were blown away by the positive response from our community. Thank you to everyone who has spread the word and visited a billboard! If […]
What’s new at the Ministry of Justice?
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. Updated on 15th April 2024. Parliament may be in recess, but Restorative Justice remains a strong political priority with momentum at a national level. Two recent developments from the Ministry of Justice have the potential to improve access and accountability, but only […]
Beyond Punishment: Young girls and Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Nikita Singh, an international journalism student at Cardiff University currently working on a project to understand the impact of Restorative Justice practices on women offenders. Despite the recent popularity of Restorative Justice within the Youth Justice System, a significant gap in research remains regarding the experiences of young girls […]
Have you seen Why me?’s Restorative Justice billboards?
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. Why me? are excited to announce the launch of a national billboard campaign promoting Restorative Justice in partnership with the JCDecaux Community Channel! There are four different designs which will appear on hundreds of billboards across major cities in the UK, running […]
Restorative Justice: A theoretical analysis
This is a blog by Evgenia Apostolou, a 1st year PhD Criminology researcher and PGR Academic Representative at Lancaster University. This blog explores how the categories of victimisation and its social approaches connect to Restorative Justice. Restorative Justice is a global pioneer in the fields of criminology and victimology, placing people and their wellbeing […]
Brianna Ghey: A meeting of mothers
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. After the violent murder of Brianna Ghey last year, Brianna’s mother, Esther, has now met with the mother of one of the teenagers who killed her daughter. This week, Esther Ghey was featured on Radio 4’s Today programme to speak about her […]
Why me?’s Restorative Justice Manifesto
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Why me? are excited to release our Restorative Justice manifesto, outlining the three key steps that need to be taken to ensure that people affected by crime can access Restorative Justice. At the moment, people affected by crime do not have access […]
Putting justice on the agenda for all women this International Women’s Day
This is a blog by Laura Cook, volunteer Communications Consultant with Women Beyond Walls, a global movement focused on ending the over-incarceration and over-criminalisation of women worldwide. Every year, as International Women’s Day approaches, our collective strides towards gender equality come into sharp focus. While we must acknowledge the progress made, the excessive imprisonment […]
A restorative approach to corporate harm
This is a blog by our Director, Lucy Jaffé. “Our hope now is that nobody else will die.” – Samantha May, The Infected Blood Inquiry, 4 March 2022 When there are announcements about state and corporate compensation for the Windrush, Grenfell, Post Office and Infected Blood victims, I am shocked at the un-restorative […]
New Chief Executive for Why me?
This is a blog by Why me?’s Director, Lucy Jaffé. We are very pleased to announce that Sara Dowling will be joining Why me? on the 18th March 2024. She will be heading up a dedicated, high calibre team of volunteers, ambassadors and staff. She brings an impressive portfolio of experience and will bring […]
Creative responses to LGBTQ+ hate crime
This is the second of two blogs on Why me?’s work on Restorative Justice for LGBTQ+ hate crime. This is a blog by our Deputy CEO, Kate Aldous. In the last blog, former Why me? staff member and expert Restorative Justice practitioner Linda Millington wrote about the growing levels of LGBTQ+ hate crime and […]
Refugees, asylum seekers and Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Dr Steve Kirkwood, Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. His research areas include Restorative Justice, the response to refugees, and criminal justice social work. He is first author of the book, ‘The language of asylum: Refugees and discourse’, and his work has been published in […]
Increasing access to justice: The role of Restorative Justice for LGBTQ+ hate crime
This is a blog by Linda Millington, who was the manager of our LGBTQ+ hate crime project for four years. She has written the first of two blogs exploring our learning from this work. This blog explores why victims of LGBTQ+ hate crimes rarely access Restorative Justice and how this gap can be addressed. […]
A victim-centred approach to retail crime: Conference highlights
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. On Tuesday, 6th of February, Why me? hosted a unique event, bringing together representatives from the retail sector, the restorative sector and key decision-makers to discuss how Restorative Justice can be used to address the harm caused by retail crime. Retail crime […]
Saving money and rebuilding lives: The power of Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Director, Lucy Jaffé. What reduces crime, helps victim recovery and saves money from the public purse? Restorative Justice! I don’t say this lightly. It has taken years of academic research, delivery of casework by professional services and over a decade of consistent advocacy and campaigning work here at […]
The shared principles of harm reduction and Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius. I joined the team at the beginning of January, and it has been a whirlwind couple of weeks getting settled into the role and learning more about the work that Why me? does and how I fit in. When I was tasked […]
Cross-party support for Restorative Justice in House of Lords
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. Updated by Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius, on 2nd February 2024. On Wednesday, the Victims and Prisoners Bill went to the Committee Stage in the House of Lords. This means that the amendments tabled by Peers were discussed in Parliament. The […]
Interfaith Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Strategic Programmes Manager, Kate Aldous. Why me? is delighted to announce the start of a project exploring using Restorative Justice to address conflict between faiths and communities. This project will be led by the Faith and Belief Forum (F&BF), who will lead on work in Solihull, in partnership […]
The Victims and Prisoners Bill: Where are we and what’s next?
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Manager, Keeva Baxter. The Victims and Prisoners Bill is a long awaited piece of legislation, aiming to strengthen the rights of victims of crime. It is an opportunity to ensure that Restorative Justice is more widely available, with enforceable rights that people affected by crime […]
We are hiring: Restorative Justice Trainer and Service Coordinator
Restorative Justice Trainer and Service Coordinator This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and enthusiastic Restorative Justice (RJ) practitioner and trainer keen to be at the forefront of developing and enhancing RJ practice nationally. You will be part of a small and committed team in a leading RJ charity, working closely to deliver projects […]
What’s coming up in 2024?
Welcome to 2024! We have an exciting year planned of campaigning for and delivering high-quality Restorative Justice. In this blog, we explore some of Why me?’s upcoming plans, projects and aspirations for the year. New areas of work Violence in pupil referral units This year we will be working on a project exploring how restorative […]
The year in review: 2023 at Why me?
This is a blog by our Communications and Events Coordinator, Keeva Baxter. Why me? and the wider restorative sector have had a very successful year of raising awareness, campaigning and supporting people affected by crime. This year has been challenging for the charity sector, with the cost of living crisis and a changing fundraising […]
Jamaica: Serious and Complex training to RJ staff, Victim Services and Child Diversion
This is a blog by Colette Selwood, a Restorative Justice and Safeguarding Trainer at Alpha1 Training and Consultancy Services. On 10th October for 4 days, Helen Lord, Thames Valley Restorative Justice Service, and I travelled to Jamaica to deliver Serious and Complex Restorative Justice training to the Restorative Justice, Victim Services and Child Diversion staff. […]
Reflections on Restorative Justice Week 2023
This is a blog by our Communications and Events Coordinator, Keeva Baxter. Last week was Restorative Justice Week 2023! We had a fantastic week of networking, sharing ideas, building new connections and sparking challenging discussions. We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who took part, the combined voices of the restorative […]