Why me? Transforming lives through Restorative Justice

Thank you to all those who attended our recent forum on 'The next steps for ReHub'. We are in the process of collating everyone’s feedback including the themes, concerns and recommendations raised and will be sharing a full summary in due course. Find out more about what's happening next:

ReHub share update on 'presumption of unsuitability' for certain crime types - Why Me? This is a blog by Why me? CEO, Sara Dowling.   This week, Why me? received further communication from ReHub (HMPPS’ Restorative Practice Hub) as part of their internal review. The update focused on the implementation of the new policy, which will introduce a ‘presumption of unsuitability’ of ...

Safety is of paramount importance in a restorative process. Restorative Justice will not go ahead unless a trained facilitator deems it safe to do so.

Did you know you can get advice and guidance on Restorative Justice through our helpline? Whether you are a professional looking for some support on a particular issue or someone affected by crime who wants help to access Restorative Justice - get in touch with us via [email protected].

Psychologists know that relationships strengthen through rupture and repair. When a crime is committed, community bonds are ruptured.

Restorative Justice is an effective way to begin to repair these, and 85% of participants are satisfied with the result.

This month, the Ministry of Justice have published a new White Paper titled ‘Cutting youth crime, changing young lives’. The paper outlines a "comprehensive programme of reform to modernise the system", aiming to move towards "earlier intervention, improving consistency and ensuring custody is used only where necessary".

As part of this initiative, they will "consider how best practice around restorative justice... can be built upon and expanded" and have called upon Jacob Dunne to be an expert advisor. We welcome this inclusion, and look forward to seeing restorative principles more embedded in practice and the power of Restorative Justice utilised to its maximum potential. Learn more: https://why-me.org/2026/government-highlight-restorative-justice-in-new-youth-justice-white-paper/

Last week, Why me? received a letter from ReHub (HMPPS' Restorative Practice Hub) about the implementation of their new policy, which will introduce a 'presumption of unsuitability' of Restorative Justice for certain types of crimes.

In our latest blog, we share when the proposed changes will come into force, which crime types are included in the presumption and how they define exceptional circumstances. We also explore Why me?'s concerns around this change and what our next steps are following our recent forum: https://why-me.org/2026/rehub-share-update-on-presumption-of-unsuitability-for-certain-crime-types/

Why me? believes that victims should be at the heart of the justice system. But at the moment, they’re not. How can we widen access to Restorative Justice and help victims of crime to get their voices heard?

Have you read our new strategy yet?

Our mission is to promote awareness & increase understanding of Restorative Justice, to advocate and enable its wider use and to serve as a community hub for everyone working, or with an interest in Restorative Justice. Learn more:

why-me.org

One of the best ways to increase Restorative Justice referrals, is to ensure those who make the referrals understand the power and scope of Restorative Justice, feel comfortable discussing it with service users, and don’t hold misconceptions about who it can be used for.

"We are living through a period of intensified division. Public debate is harder, trust in institutions is fragile, and disagreement increasingly feels personal rather than political. What might once have been differences of opinion now often land as questions of identity, belonging, and threat."

In our latest blog, experienced practitioner Caroline Walsh shares her journey from activism to seeking a more restorative approach, addressing the relationships at the root of systemic failures. Fuelled by her own lived experience, Caroline explores the need for change and how we can achieve it: https://why-me.org/2026/from-activism-to-reconciliation-why-this-work-why-now/