Mugging victim Zoe Harrison 'helped to recover' by meeting her attacker Aaron Burns via restorative justice
Mar 25, 2010
from Nick Harding's article in The Mirror:
When Zoe Harrison first came across Aaron Burns he held a knife to her throat and battered her so brutally he was spattered in her blood.
The last time Zoe, 26, came face to face with her mugger, she left him sobbing for forgiveness.
This is the power of restorative justice - making criminals say sorry to victims.
....The benefits appear to be considerable. Paul Fawcett of Victim Support says: "It is widely accepted that when restorative justice is done right it has a positive effect on reoffending and also has benefits to victims. "It allows them to get things off their chests.
It destroys in their mind the perceptions they have built around the crime.
"On a national level it would be a great opportunity. The benefits look promising.
"All the indicators are now pointing in the right direction."
Restorative justice schemes reduce the chances of a victim developing post-traumatic stress disorder by more than 30%, studies have shown.
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