In September 2023, Dr. Ian D. Marder (Maynooth University) published a new article with Dr. Rebecca Banwell-Moore (University of Nottingham), Dr. Jon Hobson (University of Gloucestershire) and Dr. Brian Payne (Ulster University) on the development of restorative justice policy in England and Wales.
Published open access in the journal Criminology and Criminal Justice, the article is entitled: ‘New ideas, enduring cultural barriers? An analysis of recommendations from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice in England and Wales’. It explores a recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice, which was formed in 2021 to advocate for the expansion of restorative justice, and to which Ian and his other colleagues gave oral evidence in recent years.
The authors analyse the report’s recommendations thematically, focusing on service oversight, the removal of procedural barriers, and the need for dedicated resources – contextualising this in light of international research and policies.
They conclude that, while any jurisdiction implementing restorative justice could learn much from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice’s proposals, criminal justice cultures remain a barrier to mainstreaming restorative justice in England and Wales.
The article can be read open access here. Ian’s most recent article on the state of restorative justice policies and services in the Republic of Ireland can be read open access here.