Diversifying the Restorative Sector: Lessons from Practitioners

Restorative justice is increasingly integrated into government policy and services; extending beyond criminal justice to other sectors. However, as this process of institutionalisation gathers pace there is a danger that practices can become removed from their community roots and are consequently becoming less representative of the diverse populations that they are meant to serve, particularly in post-colonial societies. This paper is based on research that used a participatory action framework to engage restorative practitioners from racially, ethnically, and culturally minoratised backgrounds in England and Wales. The aim of the research was to centre the voices of practitioners in both identifying challenges and providing potential solutions for a more inclusive and representative sector. Practitioners identified the need for raising awareness and making the sector more accessible, the importance of language used and the cultural capital available to individuals, and the ways in which these issues often reflect the dynamics of established power relations. Practitioners also reflected on the need for better representation and training of leadership in the sector. It is clear from this research that resources and social structures need to be directed towards addressing these challenges whilst keeping in mind the specific needs of minoritised groups.