Common Ground and Whyme? launch new campaign for victims’ rights

We’re delighted to announce the launch of our first campaign, Right To Be Heard, in partnership with charity Whyme?.

The campaign calls for every victim of crime to have a legal right to explore the powerful option of Restorative Justice — a safe, facilitated dialogue between victims and the people who’ve harmed them.

Restorative Justice delivers 85% victim satisfaction, cuts reoffending, and saves the taxpayer £14 for every £1 spent. Yet only 1 in 20 victims are ever told it exists.

This needs to change.

The campaign launch coincides with the West End and Broadway transfer of James Graham’s play Punch, based on the real-life story of our co-founder Jacob Dunne and advisors Joan Scourfield and David Hodgkinson, who met through Restorative Justice and are backing the campaign.

Joan, David and Jacob earlier this month. Their story is told in the West End play Punch.

Why Restorative Justice?

Earlier this year, through public engagement across the country, we heard a clear message about what people want from their justice system: accountability, fairness and contribution. These are principles shared across the political spectrum and diverse communities — and Restorative Justice speaks directly to all three.

We also found that people are most likely to back what they can picture. That’s why we want to shine a light on this rare example of good practice already working in the system — so more people can see what a better justice system could look like. And we’ve done so by working closely with a range of brilliant individuals and organisations to shape the campaign we’re launching today.

Read more about the campaign and our sign the petition at commongroundjustice.uk/righttobeheard.

Our mission at the Common Ground Justice Project is to listen across divides, find new common ground and build a better future with the people closest to the issues. This campaign is just the beginning.