Some people find accessing Restorative Justice services can be a challenge. This includes offenders, victims, support people and lawyers. We're here to help connect people with the restorative justice system nationwide.
Starting the process
There are three avenues of entry into Restorative Justice:
Pre-sentence - Requires a guilty plea, Judge directed and referred, funded by Ministry of Justice. This is what this website is mostly about.
Post-sentence - Referral can be initiated by any party, requires Department of Corrections approval, Funded by Department of Corrections.
Community - Can receive referrals from anyone, no direct funding.
Who provides pre-sentence restorative justice services?
Restorative justice services (providers) are run by community-based groups that are contracted by Te Tāhū o te Ture - Ministry of Justice. Māori facilitators are available in most areas. Choose from a list of providers from each court.
The "referral"
Referral is the official name given to the action where a provider of restorative justice can take action to start the process. For pre-sentence cases, this is given by the judge. It can be suggested by either party, but it is choice of the judge if it is to be initiated (see below).
Initial contact
You can use this website to locate and contact the Restorative Justice Provider in your court. Once you have selected the court, you will be shown the list of providers and the type of cases referrals they cover.
You can contact them directly using the details on that page, or by filling out the dedicated form accessed through the "Apply with this provider" button which will assist the provider in finding specifics about the case. By using the webform:
For pre-sentence cases, this will help raise awareness of the case with the provider.
For post-sentence and community, this can act as a referral, and a case can be initiated.
The form can be filled out by a victim, offender, or their representatives (e.g. support person, family, lawyer).
We do not deal directly with the matters related to a case, nor give legal advice. If you are having trouble contacting the provider, or you have a specific question about the process, you can ring us on 0800 008 337, or email us on [email protected]
A judge decides if restorative justice will occur in pre-sentence cases
Restorative justice can happen before an offender is sentenced in court (pre-sentence) which is most common. This means that someone needs to raise it with the court after there has been a guilty plea. It can be raised by the offender or the victim, their representatives, or the judge. A referral to a Restorative Justice provider can assist in this, but it is the judge who will decide whether an offender can participate in the restorative justice process at the pre-sentence point.
