More victims of crime in Kent will soon have the opportunity to meet their offender face to face with the launch of a new Restorative Justice pathfinder.

 Kent Probation is one of just three areas selected by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) to deliver pre-sentence Restorative Justice.

Offenders who are in scope for the scheme, and who have already pleaded guilty, will be offered a restorative intervention. If the victim is willing this will ultimately lead to a carefully facilitated meeting where victims can have some of their questions answered and the offender can take responsibility for the impact of his or her actions.

Kent Probation Director, Tracey Kadir, said: « We are really excited to be one of the pathfinder areas to deliver pre-sentence Restorative Justice. There has been recognition that nationally this is one part of the criminal justice process where Restorative Justice is not considered. Restorative Justice is not in opposition to sentences that punish offenders but can work alongside it and indeed is often more painful and challenging than any other sentence, but as a result, also far more likely to succeed in reducing reoffending. »

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