Restorative justice in prisons and probation: opportunities and challenges from Estonia, Ireland, and England & Wales

Delivery of restorative justice in prisons and probation continues to grow in scale, in scope, and in impact. Legislation to support these services is more often integrated into Criminal Justice policy across the world, and the evidence base for ‘what works’ provides knowledge and advice on how such programmes might be implemented. In the context post-sentencing, restorative justice is increasingly available to victims and offenders whilst the offender is serving their and in post-release contexts including work with probation.
As these services continue to develop, so do we also understand more about some of the opportunities and challenges these services face. This includes the opportunities and challenges in developing supporting policy frameworks, in establishing services, and in delivering meaningful interventions. In this panel discussion we offer a discussion on these issues with academics, policy makers, service design teams, and practitioners from a range of different countries in which restorative justice services are being shaped and delivered.