Final Report: Leeds pilot faiths consultation exercise on restorative justice and the rehabilitation of young male ex-offenders

Source: (2004) London, U.K.: Home Office. Downloaded 26 January 2005.

This consultation exercise and research study on faith communities, criminal justice and the rehabilitation of ex-offenders was commissioned by the Home Office and managed by Leeds Faith Communities Liaison Forum through the office of Leeds Church Institute. It ran part-time in two phases from 20 October 2003 to 21 November (when an interim report was presented) and
then to 31 January 2004. The research was carried out by Professor Kim Knott and Mr Matthew Francis of the Community Religions Project at the University of Leeds in association with members of the Community Chaplaincy Project of HM Prison Leeds and council members of Leeds Faith Communities Liaison Forum.
The two objectives of the project were as follows: (a) to conduct a time-limited local faiths consultation exercise in Leeds to examine the effectiveness of local faith, interfaith and other relevant bodies, networks and mechanisms for the gathering of views on an aspect of Government policy and practice; (b) to gather, analyse and present data on (i) the attitudes of faith communities to the rehabilitation of young male offenders (and to a lesser extent to the sentencing of offenders), and (ii) the role of faith communities in their support. In the remainder of this report we shall describe the research process and methods we used (see also appendices) before presenting and evaluating the project findings with reference to these twin objectives. (excerpt)