More info here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6330657.stm

I think it may work in some cases, but I'm not convinced it's a universal good idea.

I think in a lot of cases it's a waste of time and energy. Some thugs would probably get a kick out of being able to see their victim.

I think that this is another example of wishful thinking in most cases. It is in the interests of criminals to express remorse, although I have the feeling that it is often feigned rather than genuine. I have no wish to meet the people who robbed my mother's house just after she had died, other than to give them the bloody good hiding they deserve.

In cases where crack heads have mugged old women - It may work.
In cases of convicted drug dealers - No chance...

Maybe make the convicted drug dealers meet the old women that were mugged as a result of a crack head needing money for drugs?

I guess that's too much thinking out of the box for this government :)

Murderers - Considering the obvious, it could work if they had to meet their victims families.
Padeophiles and rapists - Bearing in mind the fact that 100% of them are mentally repulsive - I can't see many of them have feelings of remorse when they meet their victims - And I'm sure the victims won't want to meet them!

I have had the pleasure of taking up the offer of one of the mediation charities to visit a scrote in Doncatraz after he had been convicted of crimes against myself and others.

My greatest concern that had to be sorted out before I would participate was confirmation that he would recieve no advantage from this process such as reduction of sentence or advancement of parole.

I also insisted on learning his full identity and home address. He knew my address, why shouldn't I know his?
He did not know my name and I insisted on it staying that way.
To ensure this I had to alter the temporary ID issued to me on entry to the prison!

I listened to what he had to say although most of it sounded like the answers that he had been used to producing to appease his social/probation workers etc.

I benefited from being able to tell him to his face what I thought of him and his deeds.
I also was able to say to him that his words meant nothing, but I would be happy to recieve confirmation from his Probation Officer that he had stayed straight for 12 months after his release.
He agreed, but I have heard nothing to date. (this would have been the confirmation that the process reduces crime)

I also took some reassurance from seeing a timid little rat who was probably more frightened of the meeting than anybody.

I am glad that I took up the offer, but can easily see that it would certainly not be suitable for many victims/offenders.

I think that this is another example of wishful thinking in most cases. It is in the interests of criminals to express remorse, although I have the feeling that it is often feigned rather than genuine. I have no wish to meet the people who robbed my mother's house just after she had died, other than to give them the bloody good hiding they deserve.

well im with you on this

My dad was murdered when I was a kid. Unfortunately, the man who did it is not the kind of person capable of empathy or remorse so it wouldn't fix anything. I occassionally have fears that he'll come after me,very unlikely but an unsettling thought, so that's another reason I wouldn't want to see him. That said, for those who do have some capacity for remorse maybe meeting the victim and understanding the harm they have done can motivate them to change. I'm not sure what the victim would get out of it though.

I don't think anyone is suggesting it should be compulsory. It works best when both parties are willing to try it. It has helped many people gain "closure" and start to put their trauma properly behind them as well as allowing the convicted party to see first hand what their offending behaviour has really done to a real person.

Its a really positive tool in the criminal justice world and as this study shows it works, I'm fully behind it.

I think that this is another example of wishful thinking in most cases. It is in the interests of criminals to express remorse, although I have the feeling that it is often feigned rather than genuine. I have no wish to meet the people who robbed my mother's house just after she had died, other than to give them the bloody good hiding they deserve.

LordC, that is the pits. It takes a real lowlife to steal from grieving families.

I have very mixed feelings about criminals expressing remorse to victims. I guess if it is something they really want to do, especially if they want to try and make some reparation it possibly could work, but I'm sceptical.

When criminals meet violent victims of crime, does it reduce crime more though?

When criminals meet violent victims of crime, does it reduce crime more though?

As said before most of these wasters would probably take some pleasure out of seeing their victim face to face.
The only possible reason I would want to see them face to face and if possible obtain their address is so I know exactly who I am going after when they are realeased.

The option of meeting the offender in a room, alone, without cameras, was, unfortunately, not offered!

I can also tell you that during the dealings with the two ladies from the mediating charity, there was almost a "good cop/bad cop" routine.
Not deliberate but reflecting their characters.
I felt that one would have looked for the good in Adolf Hitler and the other would have held the petrol can while I looked for the matches!

I can certainly imagine in some cases it will help - primarily if the criminal is genuinely remorseful. It doesn't reduce the sentence or affect parole in any way, so the idea is to make people see the effects of crime to deter them from doing it again.

As GazB said, this will work for someone who was just a chancer, so they can see the effects of their crime, but won't work for any one who's not sorry for what they've done.

All in all, I'm for it, where appropriate, as long as there is no accompanying reduction in sentences/parole being affected.

As said before most of these wasters would probably take some pleasure out of seeing their victim face to face.
The only possible reason I would want to see them face to face and if possible obtain their address is so I know exactly who I am going after when they are realeased.


I don't think you would be suitable.

The linked piece isn't particularly forthcoming, but I think this may be being misunderstood.

The idea isn't to give the crook an opportunity to 'say sorry' or anything similar; it isn't to give an option of getting a reduced punishment.

The point is to place the crook in a position where he is obliged to recognise that the victim of their crime is a person, rather than a piece of landscape or street furniture: the aim being to reduce recidivism.

For the victim the benefit is that the fearful and angry response is alleviated by finding that the big, leering, arrogant, villain (a fantasy existing on this very thread); is, in reality, a person also: and of a rather piffling and unimpressive type.( nothing to have nightmares over, and certainly not worth the penalty to be paid for the more outlandish revenge fantasies)

It reminds me of a Brasseye clip where a young guy had been caught crapping on a woman's carpet. Under a new initiative she went along to his house with two officers for her safety, squatted down, rolled down her tights and knickers then crapped on his carpet. :hihi: :hihi:

It reminds me of a Brasseye clip where a young guy had been caught crapping on a woman's carpet. Under a new initiative she went along to his house with two officers for her safety, squatted down, rolled down her tights and knickers then crapped on his carpet. :hihi: :hihi:

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: Stop it! I nearly choked on a biscuit!

I don't think you would be suitable.

I dont get on well with most violent attackers.

Something that bears watching about this: the intention is to induce a degree of socialisation that hasn't, hitherto, taken place.
The criminal will be, at least subconsciously, looking to continue their normal mental habits as these are the comfortable easy option: so it is important that there is no immediate material benefit to the con....No reduction of sentence, no improvement of conditions, nothing......or they'll just say in their heads "I'm doing it for this reason- aren't I clever!"
By offering inducements the principal is totally undermined, so I predict that that is what will happen.

The linked piece isn't particularly forthcoming, but I think this may be being misunderstood.

The idea isn't to give the crook an opportunity to 'say sorry' or anything similar; it isn't to give an option of getting a reduced punishment.

The point is to place the crook in a position where he is obliged to recognise that the victim of their crime is a person, rather than a piece of landscape or street furniture: the aim being to reduce recidivism.

For the victim the benefit is that the fearful and angry response is alleviated by finding that the big, leering, arrogant, villain (a fantasy existing on this very thread); is, in reality, a person also: and of a rather piffling and unimpressive type.( nothing to have nightmares over, and certainly not worth the penalty to be paid for the more outlandish revenge fantasies)

I can see this might help in some cases but personally having a big, leering, arrogan villain image helps me deal with what happened to our family. If I thought of the perpetrator as just a person I think I'd crack up. Sometimes you just have to have a reason for something which makes no sense. Plus, as I said before, in this case this man was known to have no remorse and had been labled an untreatable psychopath. I don't know if other victims need to deal with their experiences in a similar way?

I can see this might help in some cases but personally having a big, leering, arrogan villain image helps me deal with what happened to our family. If I thought of the perpetrator as just a person I think I'd crack up. Sometimes you just have to have a reason for something which makes no sense. Plus, as I said before, in this case this man was known to have no remorse and had been labled an untreatable psychopath. I don't know if other victims need to deal with their experiences in a similar way?

Yes, that's another thing to watch out for: trying to get victims who aren't interested to go along with it.
If you don't see any benefit for yourself : don't do it. I wouldn't under those circumstances.:)

More info here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6330657.stm


I think the best thing for criminals is proper long sentences to fit the crime, no time off for good behavior. If you get 10 years you stay in 10 years. Also all the bleeding heart liberal brigade and human rights people, its time they shut the fxxk up and spared a thought for the decent law abiding people, not the scum.:thumbsup: