A PIONEERING restorative justice initiative run by Surrey County Council and Surrey Police that is diverting hundreds of young people away from crime has scooped a prestigious national award.

The Surrey Youth Restorative Intervention scheme won the restorative justice category in the Howard League for Penal Reform’s annual community awards.?It was initiated by Surrey’s Criminal Justice Board in 2011, supported by the county council’s youth support service and the police, to give young offenders the chance to right their wrongs outside of court.

Rather than face prosecution, young people in Surrey who are under the age of 18 and admit an offence are invited to repair the harm caused to their victims either face to face or by serving the community.

This can take the form of anything from a sincere apology to hand-crafting a wooden memory box for parents whose premature babies have died.

The main intention of the programme is to prevent reoffending, provide better value for money and improve satisfaction with the criminal justice system for the victim, the offender, their families and the wider community.

According to independent analysis, re-offending has reduced by 18 per cent since the scheme was launched and it has consequently prevented thousands of young people receiving a criminal conviction.

The scheme has also saved £3 for every £1 spent and it has very high rates of victim satisfaction (85 to 90 per cent).