Research resources

Restorative Justice Test Case Project summary report

The Children & Young People’s Centre for Justice, Community Justice Scotland and the Scottish Government present summary findings from the Restorative Justice (RJ) Test Case 2024/25. The project explored key themes in service delivery that require consideration and/or resolution in the future development of a nationally consistent restorative justice provision across Scotland. The findings will support a focussed approach to addressing needs and gaps identified by the project, which will build upon existing work towards achieving Scotland’s ambition of restorative justice being available to all those who wish to access it, and at a time that is appropriate to the people and case involved.

Restorative justice: policy and practice framework

Guidance on the practice of restorative justice (RJ) in Scotland in relation to adults and children. It sets out minimum standards and expectations against which RJ practice can be benchmarked, monitored and evaluated to ensure consistent delivery in line with RJ principles.

Trauma and Restorative Justice

Recording of webinar, held on 25 November 2025.

Trauma Responsive Organisations, Systems and Workforces in Scotland

Presentation by Kirsty Pate on trauma-responsive social work services and their implementation in Scotland. Presented at Trauma and Restorative Justice webinar held in November 2025.

Trauma and Restorative Justice: Discussing international research, practices and exploring the future for Scotland

Presentation by Dr. Claudia Christen-Schneider on the importance of trauma-informed approaches in restorative justice, sharing practical insights from Switzerland. Presented at Trauma and Restorative Justice webinar held in November 2025.

Creating a people-centred view of risk and restorative justice

Shapland, J., Buchan, J., Kirkwood, S., & Zinsstag, E. (2024). Criminology & Criminal Justice, 24(5), 1047-1068.

Mitigating risk in restorative justice

Shapland, J., Buchan, J., Kirkwood, S., & Zinsstag, E. (2024). The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 7(2), 250-273.

A history of restorative justice in Scotland: The evolving nature of an innovation in criminal justice policy and practice.

Kirkwood, S., & Kritikos, L. (2025). The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 64(1), 61-76.

Thriving Survivors’ national service for restorative justice in cases of sexual harm: an evaluation of the first year.

Zinsstag, E. & Wisenfeld Paine, C. (2023).

Restorative justice & sexual harm: The voices of those who have harmed

Russell, D. & Cochrane, G. (2023).

Out-casted/ re-casted: Towards a lexicon for restorative art-making and co-creation.

Aldington, C., Wallace, J. & Bilby, C. (2020). In G. Varona Martínez (Ed.), Arte en prisión; Justicia restaurativa a través de proyectos artísticos y narrativos. Tirant lo Blanch, pp. 159-203.

Keeper of the winds; An exploration of the space between the harmed and the harmer in restorative justice encounters.

Aldington, C. (2023). In G. Varona Martínez (Ed.), Victimología y Violencia: Connectar con las víctimas/ Victimology and Violence: Connecting with victims. Aranzadi, pp. 65-92. (with permission from Editor/ Publisher).

A language of convergence: The co-created handmade thing as a “conversation starter” within restorative justice processes.

Aldington, C. (2022). The International Journal of Restorative Justice 5 (3), pp. 338-368.

Drawing a line: the meaning of making, gifting, and solidarity in restorative justice processes

Aldington, C. (2021). [PhD Thesis, Northumbria University, UK].

Restorative Justice Cases in Scotland: Factors Related to Participation, the Restorative Process, Agreement Rates and Forms of Reparation

Kirkwood S (2010) . European Journal of Criminology 7(2): 107–122. DOI: 10.1177/1477370809343036.

Peacebuilding and RiSC: Elements of a Scottish model for restorative practices in serious crime

Whyte B and Kearney N (2017). Scottish Justice Matters 5(1): 11–12.

The views of school pupils on the use of Restorative Justice in Scotland

Vaswani N and Brown A (2002).

Rapid Evidence Review: Uses of Restorative Justice

Scottish Government (2019).

Survivors Voices National Consultation. Survivors’ views on restorative justice

Moore A, Keenan M, Moss R & Scotland, A (2021).

The local provision of restorative justice in Scotland: an exploratory empirical study

Maglione, G., Buchan, J. and Robertson, L. (2020). European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research.

Restorative justice informed criminal justice social work and probation services

Kirkwood S and Hamad R (2019). Probation Journal, 66(4), 398-415. DOI: 10.1177/0264550519880595

Iriss insight: Restorative Justice

Kirkwood S (2018).

Restorative Justice Cases in Scotland: Factors Related to Participation, the Restorative Process, Agreement Rates and Forms of Reparation

Kirkwood S (2010). European Journal of Criminology 7(2): 107–122. DOI: 10.1177/1477370809343036.

Restorative Justice (Diversion) Services Monitoring and Evaluation Report 2006/2007

Kearney N, Kirkwood S and MacFarlane L (2009). Edinburgh: Sacro.

Restorative Justice (Diversion) Services Monitoring and Evaluation Report 2006/2007

Kearney N, Kirkwood S and MacFarlane L (2009). Edinburgh: Sacro.

Restorative Justice in Scotland: An Overview

Kearney N, Kirkwood S and MacFarlane L (2006). British Journal of Community Justice 4(3): 55–65.

A guide to youth justice in Scotland: Policy, practice and legislation

CYCJ (2021).

Community Justice Scotland (2018) Restorative Justice - Baseline Survey Report

Institutionalising restorative justice for adults in Scotland: an empirical study of criminal justice practitioners’ perspectives

Butler, S., Maglione, G., & Buchan, J. (2022). Institutionalising restorative justice for adults in Scotland: an empirical study of criminal justice practitioners’ perspectives. Criminology and Criminal Justice.