Help coming for Project Turnaround
South Canterbury’s restorative justice programme is no longer taking referrals as the Timaru District Council winds up its operation of the service.
The council-led Project Turnaround, which became one of New Zealand’s first restorative justice providers in 1996, will complete its work with existing participants by April 10.
The Ministry of Justice is working with providers from Ashburton’s Safer MidCanterbury and Oamaru’s Waitaki Safer Community Trust to handle new referrals by travelling to Timaru until June 30.
‘‘We do not anticipate any impact on service delivery during this time,’’ a ministry spokeswoman said.
The ministry would select another organisation to take over the delivery of restorative justice by late March, with the new contract starting on July 1.
‘‘We are unable to advise who has responded to the tender as the evaluation of proposals is ongoing,’’ the spokeswoman said.
‘‘We are currently undertaking a national procurement for restorative justice services.’’
Restorative justice involves a conference between an offender and their victim, if both agree to it, with the aim of giving victim’s a stronger voice in the criminal justice system and hold offenders to account.
The ministry funds the service based on the number of conferences which go ahead.
In November, the council announced it was pulling out of providing the service, amid concerns for the safety of staff.
Ministry commissioning and service improvement group manager Victoria McLaughlin previously said the areas of strength for the council-led programme included acknowledging a participant’s cultural needs, and taking appropriate steps when a child or young person was involved.
‘‘Contract monitoring activity has identified a high level of caution taken by the provider when working with children or young people, and risk assessments and safety plans are tailored to reflect their involvement in the restorative justice process,’’ McLaughlin said.
There had been a drop in the number of referrals going to conferences across the country because risk assessment and safety planning requirements had been strengthened over the past two years, McLaughlin said.
‘‘Anecdotally, restorative justice providers have reported that more cases are being assessed as not appropriate to proceed based on safety grounds.’’
McLaughlin said 85 per cent of victims reported being satisfied with the restorative justice process, with offenders who took part less likely to reoffend.