An example from Norfolk of restorative justice. Briefly, that can be used by police with the victim’s consent to help solve low level offences without the need to pursue a costly criminal prosecution or criminalise young people. Four youngsters who damaged car wing mirrors in Hellesdon have contributed to repair costs in a bid to make amends for their actions.
It follows three incidents in December and January where wing mirrors were damaged on vehicles in Meadow Way and Hawthorne Avenue.
A wing mirror was broken off a Citroen Saxo on December 8 and the same vehicle was damaged again on January 11. While a Vauxhall Corsa was damaged on January 10.
Four boys, aged 12 and 13, were identified by police and admitted causing the damage.
The matter was resolved by way of Restorative Justice (RJ), analternative to criminal prosecution which brings together offenders of low level crime and their victims to resolve the matter.
PC Andy Dye, from the Hellesdon and Horsford Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “This is a good example of how the restorative justice process can be beneficial to the victim as they receive payment for damage. In this case all four youngsters have shown remorse and have accepted responsibility for their actions.”
Between them the boys contributed £140 towards repair costs and also sent letters of apology to the victims.
