Opinion of Probation Officers on Restorative Justice

Criminology Dissertation Proposal
How does Probation Officers in London
feel towards government initiative to
increase the use of restorative justice?

Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................3
1.1 Overview of the research.........................................................................................3
1.2 Aims and objectives ................................................................................................4
1.3 Chapter Structure of the dissertation:......................................................................4
1.4 Purpose of study......................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................................7
2.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................7
2.2 The concept of restorative justice in probation practice. .......................................7
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.................................................................10
Research approach: ...................................................................................................10
Research design:.........................................................................................................10
Data collection.............................................................................................................10

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview of the research
Restorative justice is an approach to justice where the crime is personalized with
a preparation of an agreement between the victim and the offender. The approach of
restorative justice is also known as the theory of justice which accent repairing the harm
which is cause by the behaviour of the criminal. Probation officer feels that initiative
taken by government for implementing restorative justice is effective because it leads to
assist in reducing the chances of adult offender. Restorative justice brings those people
who get harmed by a conflict or crime along with people who are responsible for that
harm (O'Mahony and Doak, 2016).
Therefore, restorative practices are used at the place where conflict or any crime taken
place in order to resolve the conflict. Such type of practices is carried out at workplace,
hospitals, and children services in school. Restorative justice is basically practices in
criminal justice to deal with criminal. As because it provides a chance to the victim to
communicate with their offenders in order to provide solution on the real impact of
crime.
The present dissertation is conducted on the opinion of Probation officers towards the
initiative taken up by the government to increase the use of restorative justice in
probation practice. Further, the justice system for the criminal can easily accept the
mistake is the view of most of the people. However, the fact is that Restorative justice
which is a new approach is different from the criminal justice system. It is important to
develop understanding related to the restorative justice and probation practices and it
benefits. It will help in promoting community safety, reduce the fear of crime and reduce
the incidents on crime and anti-social behaviour and also change the negative opinion
of the probation officers related to the Restorative justice.
Different theories can be applied for the restorative justice that is Procedural Justice
Theory. There are different theories which will be applied in the current study related to
restorative justice. Further, as per the theory of (Braithwaite, 2014) argues that
restorative justice enables both victims and offender by way of meditation so that social
harm can be repaired which is mainly causes by the crime. Along with this one of the

main question which arises is that citizens feel that restorative justice process is fairer
than the court. It can be stated that citizens believe in restorative justice is more as
compared to the court process.
1.2 Aims and objectives
Aim:
To determine the opinion of Probation officers towards the initiative taken up by the
government to increase the use of restorative justice in probation practice- A study on
probation officers
Objectives:
 To understand the concept of restorative justice in probation practice.
 To ascertain the role of probation services in restorative justice.
 To evaluate the need base importance of restorative justice for supporting victims
in London.
 To identify the beliefs of London based probation officers towards an increasing
use of restorative justice in probation practice.
 To recommend ways in which the government can take some effective steps to
positively enhance the use of restorative justice in probation practice in London.
Research questions
 What is the concept of restorative justice in probation practice?
 What is the role of probation services in restorative justice?
 What is the need base importance of restorative justice for supporting victims in
London?
 What are the beliefs of London based probation officers towards an increasing
use of restorative justice in probation practice?
1.3 Chapter Structure of the dissertation:
At the time of investigating the current topic, the scholar needed to adopt a
sequential pattern by adhering the well-defined and accurate structure. The dissertation
structure in which different chapters will be cover is as follows: