Durban - Since the launch of the Justice and Restoration Project in Phoenix, north of Durban, the centre has mediated 2059 cases and is now regarded as a best practice model for South Africa.

The restorative justice project is a method of dealing with offenders. It offers a holistic alternative to the judicial systems which incarcerates offenders and often ignores victims' need for restitution and closure.

It involves victim-friendly mediation which brings offenders and victims together in the presence of trained mediators to discuss the offence and jointly decide what should be done to ensure the offender is held accountable and restitution is offered to the victim.

Designed to ensure that the restorative justice principles are effectively implemented, the centre provides closure to victims of crime, cuts the backlog of court rolls and reduces the burden on the South African Police Services (SAPS).

"The latest records show that of the 20 059 cases, only 16 percent needed to be returned to court and just five percent of those cases remain pending," Phoenix JARP area manager Cindy Delomoney said.

Findings from an evaluation report published by criminology professors from UNISA and the University of KwaZulu-Natal in January 2008 proved that the programme was helping to relieve the backlog on the court roll of cases relating to offences such as crimen injuria, common assault and malicious damage to property.

According to that report, 94 percent of offenders and 95 percent of victims indicated that they were satisfied with the agreement reached during the mediation.

Eighty-one percent of the victims said that meeting with the offender helped to reduce their fear of a further attack, and 84 percent expressed the belief that mediation offered offenders a means to understand the harm they caused.

Explaining this Ms Delomoney said: "We are able to go right to the heart of the issue and put the victims needs in the centre of the criminal justice system and find positive solutions to crime by encouraging offenders to accept responsibility for their actions.

"The success we've achieved demonstrates that conflict resolution is now in the hands of an empowered community who know the power of in-depth dialogue and forgiveness."

A Phoenix community member, who could not be named, entered the mediation process at JARP recently after he was accused of assault and crimen injuria.

He said: "I learnt there are so many alternative ways to resolve issues, without being abusive and aggressive. The JARP taught me to open communication lines with my partner. The centre has been amazing for me."

It arose from a partnership between the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the National Prosecuting Authority and the award-winning NGO Khulisa Crime Prevention Initiative and is supported by the Royal Danish Embassy.

To continue its important work, the project is now developing further programmes to ensure its sustainability.

One of its new services is a corporate programme, the first of its kind, which applies the principles of RJ in the workplace and assists employees in problem solving, conflict management and stress reduction.

Phoenix JARP is investing the sales of this programme into further restorative justice services to the community.

Source: BuaNews