Hon Matt Robson
Minister of Corrections, Minister for Courts
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

NEWS ADVISORY

Empowering victims: Restorative justice manual to be launched

2nd March 2000 Immediate release

Minister of Corrections, Matt Robson will launch New Zealand's first Restorative Justice manual in Auckland tomorrow.

The manual sets out the practices and procedures for restorative justice conferencing, and will be used as a guide for those working in the pilot scheme at the Waitakere District Court.

The six month restorative justice pilot scheme will begin on 1st April, and will take on 50 cases to test the viability of restorative processes.

"This manual marks a move forward towards new techniques aimed at reducing re-offending and placing victim's needs in the centre of the justice process.

"It's a chance before sentencing, and after an offenders has pleaded guilty, to get offenders to face their victims, and then to ensure that victim's emotional and practical needs are met."

"The justice system tends to keep offenders removed from the consequences of their crime. This way they have to face the music and it can have a profound effect on them," said Matt Robson.

Restorative justice sets up conferences involving victims, offenders and support people. Conferences are convened after offenders plead guilty in court and before sentencing.

DATE: 3rd March 2000
TIME: Mid-day
VENUE: Ellerslie war memorial community hall, Main Rd, Ellerslie

ENDS

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