Get Involved

For Providers

The Rights of the Victim

The European Victims Directive and the measures below are due for implementation on the 16th November
2015:

Are you a Victim of Crime?

We are keen to hear from victims and their families especially those who have direct experience of restorative justice. If you want to get involved email us at contact@iars.org.uk or call 020 70644382. You can also:

Accessible and understandable information relating to the crime

Join our free face to face training programmes

Access to victim support and specialist support

services

Undertake our online free online course Asserting

The ability to review a decision not to prosecute

An individual assessment to identify vulnerability

and special protection measures

Interpretation and translation, where necessary

Protection of all victims

Restorative justice safeguards

Appropriate training for support

for victims of crime.

your rights through the EC Victims Directive

http://www.rj4all.info/content/victimscourse
For Providers:
Join our free CPD accredited course Victims' Rights in Restorative & Criminal Justice that aims to equip professionals who are working with victims and their families with
the tools and knowledge that they need to conform to the
new Victims Directive. The programme is also available as
an e-course at http://www.rj4all.info/content/RJEetraining

Victims Voices in
Restorative Justice
Victims Voices in Restorative Justice aims to increase awareness around restorative justice through
victims voices and a capacity building programme. The
Programme offers CPD accredited face to face and
online training workshops with a view to build up
knowledge around restorative justice to future users
and providers of restorative justice. The programme
also includes a victim-led awareness campaign that will
allow victims to have a direct input in the shaping of
victim services. The programme is funded by the Ministry of Justice and will be delivered by The IARS International Institute in partnership Khulisa UK.
Funded by:

staff .
Free *face to face training confirmed date - 28th April
2015 in central London [*CPD certification charges 9,99]
The core objective of the Victims Directive is to deal
with victims needs in an individual manner, based on
an individual assessment and a targeted and participatory approach.

For more information visit :

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/criminal/victims/rights/ind
ex_en.htm

Sign up to the Support Victims pledge indicating

that victims of crime and their families are:

treated with respect

provided with appropriate safeguards at all stages

of the restorative and criminal justice processes

supported and empowered to know their rights.

To sign up to our next course or/and to the pledge please

complete this form and return it to IARS Market stall or
contact@iars.org.uk
Name_____________________
Organisation _______________Email:__________________

14 Dock Offices, Surrey Quays Road,

Canada Water, London SE16 2XU, UK
Contact@iars.org.uk
www.iars.org.uk
+44 (0) 20 706 443 80
@_IARS_

For Victims

Restorative Justice and

Victims of Crime
Restorative justice services, including for example victim - offender mediation, conferencing and sentencing
circles, can be of great benefit to the victim and their
families. They can help them to recover from the impact of the crime, to ask questions of their offender and
to provide an opportunity for that offender to make
amends. A primary consideration should be the interests and needs of the victim, repairing the harm done
to them and avoiding further harm.
The EU Victims Directive defines restorative justice as:
Any process whereby the victim and the offender are
enabled, if they freely consent, to participate actively in
the resolution of matters arising from the criminal
offence through the help of an impartial third party.

Your Assessment
As a victim of crime you will be entitled to an individual
assessment of risk. This assessment is part of the restorative justice process too.
There are many factors which should be considered, especially whether you may be at risk of intimidation and to
retaliation, or vulnerable to secondary and repeat victimisation. If you do consider yourself to be particularly vulnerable, or that your case is of a sensitive or complex nature then you should state that very clearly.
You should be able to see this assessment, to agree it and
to have a copy. You should receive, or ensure that you
have assurances as to the confidentiality of any information that you give. Who will have access to it.

This provision is one of the major achievements in the

Victims Directive as it makes clear that there needs to
be a case-by-case approach towards victims.

This complements IARS definition of restorative justice

as:
an ethos with practical goals, among which to restore
harm by including affected parties in a (direct or indirect) encounter and a process of understanding through
voluntary and honest dialogue (Gavrielides 2007: 139).

A strong and confident victim will benefit from a

restorative process, as well as contributing massively towards its success. We provide this information in the hope that it will help build that confidence and that the harm done to you will be repaired.

Minimum Standards

Victims should Be treated in a respectful, sensitive, tailored, professional and non-discriminatory

manner, in all contacts with restorative justice services

These services should be Safe and competent

Restorative justice processes should only take place

if they are In the interest of the victim. Only you
can decide if this is the case.

You should be provided with full and unbiased

information about the process, before agreeing to
participate in any restorative justice process.

You should only take part if this with your free and
informed consent.Participation in restorative justice is voluntary. This is your decision.

Your offender should have acknowledged the

basic facts of the case and you should be made
aware of this.

Any agreement arrived at must be voluntary and

may be taken into account in any further criminal
proceedings.

Discussions in restorative justice processes that

are not conducted in public are confidential and
are not subsequently disclosed. However there
are limits to confidentiality and you should ensure
that you are informed about what can be disclosed
and who will know about your information.

The more informed and involved you are in this process,

then the safer and more satisfied you are likely to be.
Find out more about your rights by registering to our FREE
online course for victims Asserting your Rights through
the new Victims Directive. The course is specifically designed for victims of crime and their families with a view
to empower them by increasing their knowledge of their
rights in the criminal justice system as set out in the victims Directive
http://www.rj4all.info/content/victimscourse

* as per the E.C. Victims Directive

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/criminal/victims/rights/index_
en.htm