News
Will the Victims and Prisoners Bill improve victims’ rights to Restorative Justice?
This week, the Victims Bill was introduced to the House of Commons as the Victims and Prisoners Bill. Why me? are pleased to see that the much-anticipated legislation has been formally introduced following over a year of extensive consultation with the public, experts, and front-line organisations. The Bill is integral to ensuring that victims of crime […]
Baroness Casey Review: Healing decades of harm
This is a blog written by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. This week Baroness Casey found the Metropolitan Police Service to be institutionally racist, homophobic, and misogynist in an independent review of the behaviour and internal culture of the service. The Casey review identified institutional and systemic failings that have allowed discrimination to […]
Understanding barriers to Restorative Justice for young people, young adults and victims of crime
This week, Why me? has published our report ‘Understanding barriers to Restorative Justice for young people, young adults and victims of crime‘. Drawing together findings of Why me?’s three-year youth justice project, through which we conducted a total of seven partnerships, 32 service user interviews, 39 staff members interviews, five focus groups and four restorative […]
Healing the divides: restorative solutions for hate crime
This is a blog by our Director Lucy Jaffé. Over recent months, Britain has seen a sharp increase in hate crimes. Reported racially motivated hate crimes surpassed 100,000 cases in October last year, and homophobic and transphobic hate crime is at an all-time high. The impact of hate crime on communities is vast. Those who […]
Putting Victims First: Restorative Justice and Retail Crime
This is a blog by Communications and Events Officer Keeva Baxter and Why me? Consultant Trevor Watson. Last week, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) released their annual Crime Survey for 2023. The latest figures reveal that violence and abuse towards retail staff has almost doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels. As the BRC point out […]
Listening to the voices of young people
This is a blog by our Development Officer (Youth Justice) Leah Robinson. On the 16th March we will be launching our Youth Justice report and holding a free online launch event from 2pm-4pm. This event will see Project Lead Leah Robinson explain the work that has been completed on the project and, together with […]
How does Why me? use core funding?
This blog is written by Fundraising Officer Lucy Harris. Why me? launched our urgent appeal for donations two weeks ago. Thank you to everyone who has helped us raise nearly £5,500. Our Chair of Trustees, Gillian Slovo, has recorded this message for all of our supporters: Why me?’s project work is generously funded by […]
Valuing Victims 2023: Restorative Justice needs a national reporting framework
This is a blog written by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. Why me? has published its eighth annual report in the Valuing Victims series. Each year, Why me? requests the data supplied to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) by the 42 police areas in England and Wales via a Freedom of Information […]
re:hub launches new Restorative Justice policy framework
This week re:hub, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s restorative hub, published a policy framework on Restorative practice. The framework lays out the professional responsibilities of offender managers, probation practitioners, and victim liaison officers (VLOs) in the ‘referral and suitability assessment process’ for Restorative Justice services. It also provides wider guidance on using Restorative practice with people […]
The role of forgiveness within Restorative Justice: young people who have been both harmed and harmer
This is a blog by our Development Officer (Youth Justice) Leah Robinson. This month Leah spoke at the First International Conference on Forgiveness and Being Forgiven. Here she shares takeaways from her session on the role of forgiveness in Restorative Justice.
Restorative Justice: meeting survivors’ needs
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. Last week SkyNews published an extensive report looking into using Restorative Justice for domestic violence. Why me? were pleased to work closely with SkyNews on the piece, supporting our ambassadors Lucy and Janika to share their stories on film. For Lucy […]
Restorative Justice and the Victims Bill
This blog is by our Campaigns and Communications Manager, Meka Beresford. Yesterday the Government published its much-anticipated response to the Justice Select Committee’s pre-legislative scrutiny report into the draft Victims Bill.
Transforming Lives in 2023
This is a blog by our Director Lucy Jaffé. On a Thursday evening last year, I was cycling home when two men came up behind me on a moped and attempted to steal my bike. My screaming alerted dog walkers who scared them away. I kept my bike, but I was also left with physical […]
The year in review: 2022 at Why me?
This year at Why me? we have continued to pave the way for better access to Restorative Justice. Through our ambassador network, events, policy, and project work we have reached thousands of people to increase awareness of Restorative Justice and make sure that everyone has the option to engage with Restorative Justice. We would like […]
Using Restorative Justice for faith-based hate crime
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. With rising hate crime in the UK, including religious hate crime, there is an urgent need to find new approaches to strengthening community interfaith relations.
Can you help support us?
This is a blog by our Fundraising Officer Lucy Harris. Why me? need your help to ensure more lives are transformed through Restorative Justice. This year, we’re asking you to support Why me? by using Easyfundraising and Amazon Smile. By signing up to support us via these platforms, you can collect donations for Why […]
The Economic Case for Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Fundraising Officer Lucy Harris. This week, Why me? and economist Frank Grimsey Jones have released our pioneering and highly anticipated Economic Evaluation report and economic model of Restorative Justice (RJ). The report and model are the culmination of a research project comparing restorative interventions for victims of crime and […]
Restorative Justice Week 2022: How can we widen access to Restorative Justice?
This is a blog by our Communications and Events Officer Keeva Baxter. This week is Restorative Justice Week 2022, an opportunity to raise awareness of Restorative Justice and the transformative effect it can have on the lives of people affected by crime. The theme this year is ‘Access to Restorative Justice’. Whilst the Victims […]
Youth Justice: Exploring good practice
This blog is written by our Restorative Justice Development Officer (Youth Justice), Leah Robinson. As part of our Youth Justice Project, project lead Leah Robinson has written a Good Practice Guide for Youth Justice Services (YJSs) as a culmination of the work done over the past two years. We have compiled our learnings into […]
The National Strategy for Out of Court Disposals: What about Restorative Justice?
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. Recently, the NPCC have released its 2022-2027 National Strategy for Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs). The new plan seeks to improve the effective use of OOCDs in order to reduce reoffending through education and support. An OOCD deals with people who have committed […]
Restorative Justice Week 2022: A summary
This is a blog by Communications and Events Officer Keeva Baxter. The blog was updated on the 29th of November 2022. Restorative Justice Week took place last week, and was packed full of exciting events, discussions and activities. This year’s theme was ‘Access to Restorative Justice’. Thank you to all those who joined us […]
How can we champion survivors’ voices?
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. Last week, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its final report drawing on 15 investigations and 19 related investigation reports that have taken place since the Inquiry began its first investigations in 2015. The Inquiry put the voices of survivors at […]
Restorative Justice and Race: becoming an antiracist sector
This is a blog written by our Director, Lucy Jaffé and our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. Racialised groups are disproportionately and adversely affected by crime and by institutional responses to crime. They are frequently over-policed and face increased trauma when trying to access justice. When it comes to Restorative Justice, there is anecdotal […]
National Hate Crime Awareness Week: Using RJ to address hate crime
This blog is written by our Restorative Justice Development Officer (Youth Justice), Leah Robinson. At Why me? we know that Restorative Justice has the power and potential of creating a safe and enabling space in which victims of hate can begin to heal. During this Hate Crime Awareness Week, we highlighted how Restorative Justice helps […]
The Victims Bill: A missed opportunity?
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. Last week the Justice Select Committee released its pre-legislative scrutiny report on the draft Victims Bill and made recommendations that would see victims’ access to Restorative Justice improve vastly if the Government seizes the opportunity to implement them. Over the last year, Why […]
Who’s looking after victims?
This is a blog written by our Director, Lucy Jaffé. The HMICFRS inspectorate report on the Metropolitan Police released last week has called on the force to ‘get better’ at responding to the public, as inspectors found that victims’ decisions and wishes are not being properly recorded by officers.
A restorative process: Identifying Key Performance Indicators for the Youth Justice Board
This is a blog written by our Restorative Justice Development Officer (Youth Justice), Leah Robinson on September 22nd. This blog was updated on November 10th. The Youth Justice Board has introduced a tenth Key Performance Indicator (KPI) which will track engagement with Restorative Justice. This comes after Why me? submitted a series of recommendations that […]
Restorative approaches in prison
This blog was written by Communications Officer Keeva Baxter.
How can we widen access to Restorative Justice within migrant communities?
This is a blog by Communications Officer Keeva Baxter and Development Officer Sula Blankenberg. Why me?’s Development Officer Sula Blankenberg, and Communications Officer Keeva Baxter visited PBIC, a migrant community organisation based in Bedford, as part of our work on Project Articulate last week. PBIC was established in response to migrants’ needs for support […]
Using Restorative Justice for Domestic Violence
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford
Help us support the 95% of victims who don’t know about RJ
This is a blog by our Fundraising Officer Lucy Harris and Communications Officer Keeva Baxter. All victims of crime are entitled to information about Restorative Justice under the Victims Code of Practice, but the government’s Crime Survey for England and Wales revealed only 5% of victims with a known offender recall being given information […]
How can Restorative Justice meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community?
Reflections from facilitating a National Roundtable This is a blog written by Why me?’s Restorative Justice Development Officer (Youth Justice), Leah Robinson. On Tuesday 9th August, we held an LGBTQ+ National Restorative Justice Roundtable. This event was held as part of the Why me? Access to Justice LGBTQ+ hate crime project with the aims […]
Creating an inclusive online experience at Why me?
This is a blog by Development Officer Sula Blankenberg. At Why me? we work with a diverse range of people with different needs and we pride ourselves on being an organisation that goes the extra mile to always improve communication and quality of service for our service users and staff. In line with the […]
Does the new Out Of Court Disposal framework have implications for Restorative Justice?
This is a blog by Why me? consultant Trevor Watson. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 provided powers to allow for the preparation of a code of practice to accompany the new two-tier Out of Court Disposal framework.
Join us for the launch of our Economic Evaluation of Restorative Justice project
This is a blog by our Fundraising Officer Lucy Harris. Do you want to know how to measure the economic value of your restorative work? Do you want to hear our key findings on the cost benefit of Restorative Justice? On Thursday 29th September, Why me? are holding a free event to launch our […]
Embedding restorative practices when working with young people
This is a blog by Restorative Justice Development Officer (Youth Justice), Leah Robinson. Trauma-informed practice requires working according to a person’s entire life experiences in a holistic way, adopting a person-centred approach and focusing on ‘what happened to you?’ as opposed to ‘what’s wrong with you?’. Restorative practices involve separating the person from the action […]
What is happening with the Victims Bill?
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. Following the publication of the draft Victims Bill in May, the Justice Select Committee undertook pre-legislative scrutiny to consider any changes that need to be made to the Victims Bill before it is introduced to parliament.
Using RJ to heal historic sexual harm
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford and Development Officer Sula Blankenberg.
Power, Privilege, and Collaboration: Reflections from the EFRJ Conference
Last month, Why me? Director Lucy Jaffé and Development Officer Sula Blankenberg attended the 11th annual European Forum for Restorative Justice conference. Whilst there, they presented on Project Articulate, our project aiming to widen access to Restorative Justice (RJ) for people who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL). Here, they share their learnings and […]
Join our 95:95 challenge
This is a blog by our Fundraising Officer Lucy Harris. This September, the Why me? team are inviting you to join us for our 95:95 sponsored challenge. Our team will be collectively travelling a distance of 95 miles to raise awareness of the 95% of victims of crime who are not told about their entitlement to […]
‘I knew what I needed to heal’: Report calls for improved access to RJ for victims and offenders
This is a blog by Ken Sutton, Secretary to the Independent Commission into the Experience of Victims and Long-Term Prisoners.
Take Action: write to your MP
On May 25th, the draft Victims’ Bill was published. The much-anticipated draft offered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enshrine victims’ rights in law. This has never been done before in a single piece of legislation.
Pride Month 2022: Empowering the LGBTQ+ community to take part in Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Development Officer Leah Robinson. Last week marked the beginning of Pride Month 2022, a month dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community at a global level. Why me? wants to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of raising awareness of and increasing access to Restorative Justice (RJ) for LGBTQ+ […]
It is time for a National Restorative Justice Action Plan
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford This week Scottish Justice Minister Keith Brown announced the launch of a new national Restorative Justice hub and regional test hubs in Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders area.
Why me? Annual Conference 2022: Breaking down barriers
This is a blog by Communications Officer Keeva Baxter. On Wednesday 25th of May, we held our first Annual Conference, with a focus on Promoting Equality in Restorative Justice. We heard from a range of speakers who sparked discussions and debates around how we can create more inclusive access to Restorative Justice. As our […]
What does the draft Victims Bill mean for Restorative Justice?
Today (May 25, 2022) the draft Victims’ Bill was published. The much anticipated draft offered a once in a generation opportunity to enshrine victims’ rights in law. This has never been done before in a single piece of legislation.
Meet the Why me? Annual Conference speakers
Our Why me? Annual Conference is fast approaching and tickets are selling out fast. Make sure to get your ticket before May 19th. Meet our full list of speakers for the day who will be discussing promoting equality in Restorative Justice.
Running for Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Fundraising and Public Relations Officer Lucy Harris
A chance for change
This is a blog by Director Lucy Jaffé. We need big change to reap the rewards of Restorative Justice (RJ), and right now in the UK there is a real opportunity for the Government to commit to making it available for everyone affected by crime and conflict.
Insights from the Project Articulate Roundtable 2022
This is a blog by our Restorative Justice Development Officer Sula Blankenberg. People with English as an Additional Language (EAL) may find it difficult to access Restorative Justice. In addition to language, complex terminology, cultural differences, and a lack of trust are also barriers to accessing services in the justice system. On 24 March […]
Restorative Justice for victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence
This month, Why me? are launching a new project which will seek to understand the access that domestic and sexual violence victims have to Restorative Justice (RJ). The project, kindly funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, builds on our paper and subsequent forum from 2021 on the topic, which found that RJ can empower […]
Supporting the supervisors – Why me? to launch Peer Supervision Group
This is a blog by our Deputy Director Linda Millington. As a practitioner I have always valued the support I’ve received from my case supervisors. This is especially true when I’ve worked on complex and sensitive cases, which sometimes have broken new ground on when Restorative Justice can be used. Part of my role […]
Lee Valley Velopark Sponsored Race – Saturday 30th April
This is a blog by our Fundraising and Public Relations Intern Lucy Harris. Why me? are excited to announce that we will be participating in our first team sponsored event on Saturday 30th April. At the Lee Valley Velopark in London, our team will take part in either a Half Marathon, 10 mile, 10k, 5k […]
World Café – a restorative practice
This is a blog by our Trustee Belinda Hopkins. For our first ever annual conference, we want to ensure that participants get a sense of what ‘restorative’ means not just from keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshops but from their experience throughout the day. As well as the speeches, panel discussions, engaging workshops and […]
Child Q: Can Restorative Justice help heal the harms of racism?
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. This week, it came to light that a 15-year-old Black school girl was strip searched, while on her period, at her school in Hackney in the middle of an exam after being accused of smelling like cannabis. In breach of guidelines, no appropriate […]
Project Articulate: Restorative Justice and Cultural Translation
This is a blog by our Project Articulate Evaluators Tim Chapman and Sarah Maitland. One of the key elements of Restorative Justice that distinguishes it from other approaches to addressing crime and justice, is dialogue. Through facilitated restorative processes, people are enabled to articulate their account of what happened, discuss what matters most to […]
Shifting the power imbalance with Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Campaigns and Communications Manager Meka Beresford. When it comes to our justice system, I sometimes struggle to see the good. For years, I have seen so many survivors of sexual violence have their characters, their lives, carefully picked apart in courts. I’ve seen victims of hate crime let […]
Understanding the value of Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Researcher Frank Grimsey Jones. Whilst Restorative Justice interventions have been used in the UK for some time, and all victims are required to be offered Restorative Justice under the Victims’ Code of Practice 2021, it remains the case that only a small minority of victims and perpetrators receive […]
Why me? launches new Valuing Victims report
Why me? have launched the latest in our series of Valuing Victims Reports which analyse Ministry of Justice data on the implementation of Restorative Justice across England and Wales. Why me? annually make a Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Justice to access the data they have been provided by the 42 police […]
#Can’tBuyMySilence: Implications of non-disclosure agreements for Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Development Officer Leah Robinson. The recent universities’ pledge has drawn into question the use of non-disclosure agreements for cases of sexual harassment, bullying and other forms of misconduct by universities across the country. This blog explores the implications this has for Restorative Justice. A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is […]
How can Restorative Justice be used to ease the pains of the past?
This is a blog by our Development Officer Leah Robinson. Last week marks the beginning of LGBT+ History Month 2022. This year also celebrates an important moment in LGBT+ history as being the 50th anniversary of the first Pride March in the UK in 1972. Why me? would like to use this platform to […]
Join Lucy Fry in getting Restorative Justice rights in law
This is an interview with our ambassador Lucy Fry who was only offered Restorative Justice nine years after having been a victim of crime. We asked her about her thoughts on including Restorative Justice in the Victims’ Bill. The Victims’ Bill is a draft piece of legislation that will enshrine victims’ rights into law. The […]
What excites me about Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Fundraising and Public Relations Officer Lucy Harris. My enthusiasm for social and criminal justice began with my undergraduate degree in Sociology and Criminology. I have always had a keen interest in the Criminal Justice System, but a limited understanding of how it functioned, and pursued this subject with […]
Once in a generation opportunity for victims’ rights: The Victims’ Bill Consultation and Restorative Justice
This is a blog written by our Director Lucy Jaffé. The Victims’ Bill The Victims’ Bill is a once in a generation opportunity to enshrine victims’ rights in law. This has never been done before in a single piece of legislation. The Government is consulting the public about what should be in a new […]
Widespread support for Restorative Justice amendment in the House of Lords
This is a blog by Communications Officer Keeva Baxter. On Wednesday 12th January, a proposed Restorative Justice amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was debated during its Report Stage in the House of Lords. The amendment required the Government to publish a new Restorative Justice action plan every five years and […]
How Restorative Justice could be used for Mina Smallman and the police officer who photographed her daughters
This is a blog by our Restorative Justice Coordinator Mark Smith and Communications Intern Keeva Baxter. This is an interview with our Restorative Justice Coordinator Mark Smith, who runs the Why me? Restorative Justice service, in response to Mina Smallman’s desire to speak to the police officer who took pictures of her daughters’ crime […]
Christmas 2021 Challenge
The Why me? Christmas 2021 Challenge is now live! This year, for the first time, we are using an inspiring story to reach out to our community for donations during the festive period. We want to share Lucy’s journey and raise funds to help more people like her in 2022. Lucy is now a Why […]
Learnings from an Action Learning Set
This is a blog by our Development Officer Leah Robinson. An Action Learning Set (ALS) is a group of people within a shared area of work who come together to solve workplace problems. It is based on the concept that we learn best when we can focus on changing or resolving a real issue […]
Addressing hate in sport with Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Director Lucy Jaffe. The bullying and racist abuse experienced by Azeem Rafiq from his teammates is shocking and appalling. This behaviour and the culture which allows it to continue is completely unacceptable and needs to be addressed urgently, root and branch. During testimony to the Digital Culture Media […]
Why me?’s response to Oscar Pistorius’ upcoming “restorative” process
The once-renowned Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013, after a trial which was closely followed across the world. He remains in prison in South Africa. Pistorius has now served half of his sentence, and is up for possible release on parole. However, it was reported today (links […]
House of Lords debate the Restorative Justice amendment to Policing Bill
The Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) and Why me? are disappointed that last night the Government said measures to increase access to Restorative Justice, which can significantly improve the wellbeing of victims and cut reoffending, would be an “unnecessary bureaucratic burden”. We recently worked with Baroness Meacher, who tabled an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing […]
We are recruiting a Campaigns and Communications Manager
Restorative Justice transforms lives. By facilitating communication between the person affected by a crime and the person responsible, it gives victims of crime a rare opportunity to have their voices heard, get questions answered, and move forward. It can also help perpetrators to appreciate the damage they have done and change their behaviour. Why me? […]
Why me? petition supports Restorative Justice in the Victims’ Law
Restorative Justice transforms lives. People affected by crime across the country are getting the chance to have their voices heard, express how the incident affected them and move forward. But for far too many victims of crime, Restorative Justice is something that they never know is possible. They have no idea that they may be […]
Using Restorative Justice to repair the cultural harms of the past: Black History Month edition
This is a blog by Restorative Justice Development Officer Sula Blankenberg. This Black History Month has been a time of reflection for me. Reflection on the histories of African and Caribbean peoples in the UK and of the wider African diaspora. Reflection on Black people’s foundational contributions to the Britain we see today, because […]
Why me? recruiting a Fundraising and Public Relations Intern
Why me? are recruiting a full-time Fundraising and Public Relations Intern. They will primarily support the development of fundraising so we can not only increase the income achieved each year, but also expand awareness and reach. This includes generating funds from areas that are underdeveloped or new to Why me? such as individual giving and […]
We are looking for new partners to work with us on Project Articulate!
We are looking for new partners to work with us on Project Articulate! Project Articulate aims to widen access to Restorative Justice for people with English as an Additional Language (EAL). In year one of the project, we partnered up with Bedfordshire Signpost, Bedfordshire Youth Offending Service (YOS), Luton YOS and PBIC, a local community […]
The next big step towards tackling hate crime
This is a blog by Ben Andrew, Campaigns and Communications Manager at Why me? Have you ever been harmed because of who you are? Because of your race, your religion, your sexuality or gender identity, your disability? Being targeted because of your identity can be more damaging than other types of crime. Research has […]
“How serving as a Police & Crime Commissioner opened my eyes to the need for Restorative Justice.”
This is a blog by Why me? Trustee David Munro. I’m delighted and honoured to be joining Why Me? as a Trustee. My five years as Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey brought home to me in stark detail how criminality can wreck victims’ lives and destroy communities. It’s not just the headline crimes […]
Using restorative approaches for sexual and domestic abuse: A personal choice
Why me? have published a new paper – Using restorative approaches for domestic and sexual abuse: A personal choice. This builds on academic research, the testimony of Why me? ambassadors, and existing good practice to unpick the benefits, concerns and best practice for using restorative approaches in cases of domestic and sexual abuse. […]
APPG report on Restorative Justice – let’s make change happen
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice has released its first report: Restorative Justice APPG Inquiry into restorative practices in 2021/22. This follows an inquiry involving ten oral hearing sessions and many written responses from across the sector. Why me? and our ambassadors contributed significantly to the process, and are glad to see this […]
What South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission taught me about Restorative Justice.
This is a blog by Why me?’s new trustee Gillian Slovo. I’m delighted to be joining the board of trustees of Why me?: it gives me the chance to add my voice to the growing understanding of the benefits of Restorative Justice. The notion of a more holistic kind of justice was not even […]
What is best practice when offering Restorative Justice?
Do you work with victims of crime? With people who have offended, or are at risk of offending? With vulnerable people in a statutory agency or NGO setting? If so, it is essential that you understand how to approach the subject of Restorative Justice with service users. Why me?’s online seminar on September 29th will […]
Probation – a new opportunity for Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Why me?’s Director Lucy Jaffé. An audit of the 12 new plans produced by the National Probation Service Regional Directors reveals that Restorative Justice is considered as a useful intervention but is not uniformly treated. This is a prime opportunity to open access to Restorative Justice for people on […]
Why me?’s three asks from the Restorative Justice Inquiry
This is a blog by Why me?’s Campaigns and Communications Manager Ben Andrew. The written Inquiry from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice closed this week, concluding a long period of evidence gathering by Parliamentarians who share an interest in Restorative Justice. Why me? were glad to submit our written response, following […]
With victims of crime on the Government’s agenda, it’s time to unleash the power of Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Why me?’s Campaigns and Communications Manager Ben Andrew. The Government has today unveiled its Beating Crime Policy, which aims to create fewer victims, peaceful neighbourhoods and a safe country. The Prime Minister pre-empted the launch of the policy with a pledge for every victim of crime to have a named […]
Using my heart, head and hands to transform lives through Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Why me?’s Director Lucy Jaffé. Ten years ago I was hired to work at Why me? by Will Riley, Sir Charles Pollard and Anne McHardy. I was really delighted to get the job, but didn’t realise that I had stumbled upon such a powerful process in Restorative Justice, that […]
Why me? recruiting a Development Officer
Why me? are recruiting a Restorative Justice Development Officer to work 21 hours per week. They will work to increase awareness of Restorative Justice, develop best practice, develop and promote policy changes and act as a catalyst for increased use of Restorative Justice. They will particularly focus on managing and developing Project Articulate: our project […]
How I was drawn to Restorative Justice
This is a blog by Why me?’s communications intern Keeva Baxter. Throughout my undergraduate degree in Law, I found myself drawn to the aspects of the legal system which were not fit for purpose. The course highlighted countless areas of law which let down those affected by crime or put barriers in the way […]
Delivering Restorative Justice Post Lockdown
A blog by Linda Millington – Deputy Director of Why me? Every month Why me? invites restorative providers and practitioners to exchange knowledge in an interactive forum. Our most recent forum looked at how the easing of lockdown has affected Restorative Justice delivery. The insights shared pointed to a whole host of new considerations practitioners […]
Does BBC’s ‘Time’ do Restorative Justice… justice?
A blog by Morgan Henderson – Communications Officer at Why me? Filmed in decommissioned HMP Shrewsbury, the BBC’s latest drama, Time, exposes some of the tough everyday realities faced by inmates and staff in British prisons. The three part drama captures the mental health crisis in prisons, staff corruption, and violence faced by prisoners […]
New All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice created
New All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice A blog by Lucy Jaffe This week I observed the inaugural meeting of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Restorative Justice. The formation of this cross-party lobby group at the heart of Parliament is a highly welcome initiative from Elliot Colburn, MP for Carshalton and Wallington. His […]
Why me? recruiting Communications Intern
Why me? are recruiting a Communications Intern to join our growing team This is a great opportunity for someone who is interested in a career in the criminal justice or charity sector, and who wants to promote a cause which they believe in. Job Details Title: Communications Internship Salary: £19,747 per year (London Living […]
Hear from The Parole Board’s CEO about latest RJ guidance
Two women approached Why me? six years ago with concerns about the way that the Parole Board was considering Restorative Justice in their cases. It was clear that many members of the Parole Board required a greater understanding of how Restorative Justice works, and the ways in which it should be considered when making decisions […]
Why me? launches latest Valuing Victims Report
The latest report in the Valuing Victims series has been published today, analysing data held by the Ministry of Justice about the use of Restorative Justice across the country. Why me?’s freedom of information request revealed a varied picture. While it is positive that the Ministry of Justice collects this information, the fact that […]
Join the team! We’re Recruiting a New Chair of Trustees.
Our Board of Trustees are looking for someone inspired by Restorative Justice, motivated to support Why me? and with life experience they can bring to the role of Chair. Do you want to help change the lives of people affected by crime? Are you inspired by Restorative Justice? Have you previously worked […]
We’re Hiring! Why me? recruiting a Fundraising Manager
Role: Fundraising Manager Salary: £35k-£38k depending on experience Longevity: Fixed term contract for one year, extension based on success in role Location: The post holder needs to be within easy reach of the Why me? London office Hours: Full time (35 hours per week). Part-time option may be available for the right candidate. Holiday: Holiday entitlement is 28 […]
What could restorative providers need to disclose to the Parole Board? A handy guide.
A number of factors are taken into account when someone is considered for parole. The Parole Board may be interested in a prisoner’s participation in Restorative Justice as part of this process, focusing on the impact it had on their behaviour, and whether this affects the level of risk posed. Why me? worked with the […]
Victims’ Code of Practice 2020 comes into force
The Victims’ Code of Practice 2020 comes into force today, entitling victims of crime to information about Restorative Justice and how to access it. This is laid out under right 3, paragraph 3.4: If the offender is an adult, you have the Right to receive information about Restorative Justice from the police and how to […]
Restorative Justice – An important tool in the Government’s “Smarter Approach to Sentencing”.
Restorative Justice for Out of Court Disposals – a rapid review, a project roundup by Trevor Watson, Project lead and Morgan Henderson, Communications Officer at Why me? In January 2021 it was revealed that the backlog of court cases, exacerbated by COVID-19 had reached a critical level. This means victims of crime could have […]
The opportunity for Restorative Justice following Sarah Everard’s vigil
Why me? write to Cressida Dick proposing Restorative Justice following the conflict at Sarah Everard’s vigil By Why me? Director Lucy Jaffe I have written to Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick, proposing the use of restorative approaches to address the harm caused in the aftermath of the Clapham Common vigil for Sarah Everard. This murder shocked […]