Source: (2003) Te Ara Whakatika: newsletter of the court-referred restorative justice project. September/October. #18. Downloaded 11 December 2003.
It is commonly understood and accepted that, in justice processes, victims of crime will bring along people for support. After all, victims have been harmed by crime. It is less understood, remarks Cathy Brown, restorative justice coordinator for Dunedin District Court (New Zealand), why it is important for offenders to have people alongside them for support. Brown and other restorative justice coordinators in New Zealand courts, speaking from their experience, explain why this is important. They also discuss what people should know prior to and while offering support to an offender. To make the issue of support for offenders concrete, this article profiles two cases where support people played a critical and positive role for youth offenders.
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