rota_logo

Race on the Agenda

Crime and Restorative Justice

Discrimination and inequality in the criminal justice system has been one of ROTA's key priorities since its creation. Despite numerous reforms, the criminal justice system continues to fail Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups on a number of issues from disproportionality in stop and search statistics sentencing, treatment of prisoners through to victimisations, under-reporting of offences and workforce representation.

In response to these inequalities, ROTA has been engaging with policy developments in criminal and restorative justice via political engagement and influence on boards and advisory groups, taking part in consultations, providing policy briefings and running research projects to produce evidence-based policy recommendations. We work in partnership with a number of criminal and restorative justice agencies to deliver our work, as well as service delivery organisations who support people affected by either crime or criminal justice systems.

ROTA currently runs three research projects which impact on criminal and/or restorative justice policy and practice developments:

  • Restoring Relationships Project - A research programme to reduce the impact of hate crime through multi-agency partnerships, restorative justice, mediation and other alternative approaches.
  • Building Bridges Project - An award Winning research programme into gangs, the use of weapons and serious youth violence, specialising in youth voice into policy and women affected by violence.
  • Transformative Justice Project - A Forum and Database linking stakeholders and agencies protecting highly victimised groups.

The findings of these research projects are also used to influence policy development across social areas, especially in health and education. Asides from the above research projects, ROTA staff represent BAME issues at a variety of boards and advisory groups (hyperlink to representation table) including the Metropolitan Police Association (MPA) Hate Crime Forum, the London Resettlement Board and their Women's Reference Group and the NOMS Race Advisory Group.

ROTA uses its in-house expertise and evidence-based reports to respond to criminal justice consultations, produce policy briefings and write articles for internal and external publications - most recently on gang and serious youth violence, stop and search and restorative justice.