A NEW service has been launched in Dorset to allow victims to ‘have a voice’ and help build strong communities.

The Restorative Dorset service was launched last week and is being funded by the Dorset Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

It will be implemented by the Safer Poole Partnership and will build on work currently taking place in Poole and the west of the county, while also making the facilities more widely available across Dorset.

The project will also support police officers, encouraging them to offer restorative practices where appropriate and refer any candidates who express their interest.

This includes both restorative mediation and restorative justice. In both scenarios, all parties must volunteer in order for the process to go ahead. Where an offender is present, it is a precondition that they have formally accepted responsibility for their actions.

Restorative mediation provides a platform for members of conflicted communities to move forward and improve their quality of life. It can be used in situations such as neighbourhood disputes, where all parties will agree and own the outcomes.

Restorative justice offers victims the opportunity to meet with offenders and explain the full extent of the impact of their crimes. The service is already widely available for victims of crimes committed by young people; this project will be the first pan-Dorset service for victims of crimes committed by adults.

This service can be used for all types of crime and the facilitated meetings can be highly beneficial for both parties. Outcomes of the process will typically include an apology, financial compensation, or simply a platform to ask questions and get answers.

Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said: “Supporting victims and reducing reoffending are key themes of my Police and Crime Plan for 2017-2021 and the Restorative Dorset service has benefits for both areas.

“By bringing together victims and offenders, the service explores a more sustainable solution to crime, empowering victims to share their experiences in a way that helps their own development. It also holds offenders to account, encouraging them both to reflect on their behaviour and look ahead to a life outside of crime.”