Session Six: Restorative Approaches in Housing
John Stevenson, Head of Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, Places for People
Restorative Justice
• The context:- Housing Corporation Circular 07/04
Section 12 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 places a statutory duty on housing associations to publish policies and procedures for tackling anti-social behaviour. These should show a commitment to using the full range of tools now available to tackle ASB
Eviction should be considered only when other interventions have failed to protect the wider community
Restorative Justice
The Context:-
The Tenant’s Charter
Your housing association must only take action to evict you from your home as a last resort, when there is no reasonable alternative
Restorative Justice
What is it? • A harm reduction process in which parties involved in
dispute come together to resolve how to deal with the dispute and implications for the future
Restorative Justice
How Does It Work?• An RJ intervention would normally involve two or more
sides of a dispute actually meeting each other• Trained Facilitator (Housing Manager/Officer) proceeds
through a tried and tested structure in a non judgmental disclosure of facts
Restorative Justice
• All must agree to participate• All must be briefed/prepared• Expert neutral trained facilitator • Condemning the Act, not the ‘Actor’• No humiliation• Principles of respect
Restorative Justice
RJ Conference• Ground rules set out• What happened?• Who was affected?• What would make things
better?• Re-integration • Outcome agreement
Case StudyBackground
• Fleetwood, Lancashire• June 2006• Scheme for over 55s• New resident, Bill, moves
in Jan 06 “upsets applecart”– Car parking– CCTV– Barking dog
• Community in uproar
• Continual complaints• Bill labelled a ‘bully’, a ‘liar’
and a ‘bullshitter’ • Violet labelled ‘benefit cheat’
and a ‘fishwife’
• All had their say and stated how they had been affected
Case StudyThe conference
• All affected were willing and wanted a resolution to the problem
• Few felt resolution would be reached
• Atmosphere was tense, Bill subjected to verbal abuse
Case StudyHow things were made better
• “Somehow we need to be able to live together”.
• Violet stood up, shook everyone’s hand and apologised for harm being caused, followed by Bill
• Bill agreed to move the grey Volvo to outside Violet’s house and solely use the green Volvo in the parking area
• Bill agreed to ensure the camera is only pointing at the row of cars in the parking area
• All agreed to acknowledge each other in passing and invite Bill over to have a drink on the grassed area when out in the sunshine
• Violet apologised for the dog barking and would try to keep him quiet and leave him at home more
Case StudyOutcome agreement
Case Study
RJ shuttle meeting• Northampton• Steven and John• Assault – March 07• No criminal charges• Upset and harm continued• Steven would not agree to meet face to face
Case Study
Outcome• Steven and John now able to co-exist without ‘bad
feeling’• What other options were available?
Restorative Justice
It can achieve• An apology is 15 times more likely• Forgiveness is 89% more likely
97% say RJ conference “went well”
Staff perspective – A ‘healing’ experience
Why use RJ?• It’s simple – just requires a little learning • Doesn’t steal the conflict • Residents desire for the problem to stop (rather than
legal action)• Longer term resolution for those affected• An in house remedy• Facts don’t always have to be agreed
Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice
Why use RJ?• Can be used where court action is not appropriate• Increase in customer satisfaction• Avoids highly expensive litigation• Participants feel they have resolved the conflict by
themselves• Staff development• Fits with RESPECT, Housing Corporation and Audit
Commission expectations