New Adult Restorative Justice Practice Standards and Accreditation Framework launched

Date published: 17 October 2025

The Practice Standards and Accreditation Framework will ensure restorative justice processes are delivered with consistency and equity by Justice accredited organisations and practitioners.

The benefits of restorative justice are well established locally, within both the formal youth justice system and community-based restorative justice.  Restorative justice brings together those impacted by crime and those responsible for causing harm.  It explores what happened, who was harmed and how and what needs be done to repair the harm caused.  It also provides an alternative to more traditional, oftentimes punitive, responses to crime, establishing positive and reparative ways of addressing and thereby reducing the risk of future harm.

Speaking at the launch of the Framework, Maria Watson, Director of Rehabilitation and Reducing Offending said: 

“This new accreditation mechanism is aimed at those who wish to deliver restorative justice interventions on behalf of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland.  I would encourage as many organisations and individual practitioners as possible to apply, where they meet the necessary standards, so we can increase the provision of restorative justice services locally.

“The Practice Standards and Accreditation Framework is unique to the social, cultural and political landscape in Northern Ireland and has been developed by an expert practitioner, in conjunction with partners.  It will ensure restorative justice processes are delivered with coherence, consistency and equity.  The Framework also assures participants that Department of Justice accredited organisations, and practitioners, operate to the highest standards of practice.”

A new Restorative Justice Protocol was published in July 2023, and an Interim Protocol Lead was subsequently appointed to develop and implement a new accreditation process. Departmental officials met with colleagues from other jurisdictions to ensure that the criteria for accreditation, and the practice standards outlined, are robust and fit for purpose.

Maria Watson said:

 “Research confirms the effectiveness of restorative interventions, with an estimated 14% reduction in re-offending rates and 85% of victims finding it helpful. It is therefore critically important that practitioners are highly competent at supporting participants to address and repair the aftermath of a crime.

“Furthermore, the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Probation Board for Northern Ireland, is establishing a ‘Restorative Hub’ where accredited community and independent practitioners will work together to provide a collaborative, consistent, and high-quality service for all those who choose to participate in this process.

“I would like to put on record my appreciation to our criminal justice and voluntary sector partners for their commitment in bringing forward these measures.”

Among those attending the launch were representatives from community based restorative justice organisations, voluntary sector, and criminal justice partners as well as the Probation Board for Northern Ireland and the police.