Minister visits Preston youth justice panel

2:03pm Monday 25th February 2008

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Regional minister for the North West, Beverley Hughes, visited the National Centre for Restorative Justice in Preston aimed at helping to tackle the problem of anti social behaviour and crime within the community.

During her visit the minister saw how the centre aims to respond to the problem of crime and behaviour that affects the quality of life of people within communities.

Offenders who have admitted guilt can be referred to the centre and face penalties imposed by a panel of their peers that could include, a formal apology, cleaning up their own graffiti, community work and attending courses to improve their behaviour.

This is a three-year pilot project and the Restorative Peer Panel is the first of its kind in Europe.

The Preston project, run by crime reduction charity, Nacro, will become the national centre for excellence, helping other areas develop a restorative programme.

North West Regional Minister Beverley Hughes said: "Restorative justice is a problem solving approach to crime which involves the parties themselves, and the community in partnership with the statutory authorities such as the police and local authorities.

"The secret of success is peer panels, which represent a second chance prevention approach to justice that holds offenders accountable through a contract agreed by a restorative panel of their peers.

"This approach helps raise awareness of issues locally and mobilises residents including young people, to take an active role in addressing the problems of anti social behaviour and crime within the community.

"Adolescence is a time when young people are developing skills, habits and attitudes that will prepare them as they make the transition into adulthood.

"This approach offers the ultimate goal of helping offenders achieve healthier, more responsible and productive lifestyles, giving them a stake in their community and making neighbourhoods safer and better places to live.

"Although this project is in its early stages it is already successfully dealing with cases and will be a model for other schemes across the country."