In 2004 the Ministry of Justice published Restorative Justice Best Practice in New Zealand. This included the Ministry’s ‘Principles of Best Practice’ and the restorative justice providers’ ‘Statement of Restorative Justice Values’. The document noted that ‘the use of restorative justice processes in cases of family violence and sexual violence must be very carefully considered’.
In 2013, Restorative Justice Standards for Family Violence Cases and Restorative Justice Standards for Sexual Violence Cases were developed that recognised the additional safeguards and processes needed when dealing with family and sexual violence.
Now, in 2017, the Restorative Justice Best Practice Framework (‘the framework’) is the whakataukī, values, principles and standards articulated here. The framework builds on the documents published in 2004 and 2013, updated to reflect changes in policy and practice.