In January, Dr. Gavrielides, completed the MEREPS fieldwork with practitioners, policymakers, prison staff and young people who had experienced RJ while in prison. The findings are now been introduced into a UK report which will be launched later in 2011 and presented in Budapest at the end of the MEREPS project in 2012.

The UK report focuses on the use of restorative justice in the juvenile secure estate and attempts both a descriptive and a critical account of existing practices. The evidence based recommendations are aimed at national and European policy bodies, researchers and strategy analysts.

Furthermore, IARS and ICCCR of Open Unviersity have agreed to hold 2 further expert seminars on restorative justice. Further information can be obtained from www.iars.org.uk/content/drawing-together-research-policy-and-practice-restorative-justice-0

In other news, the UK coalition government continues to encourage the use of restorative justice. Several positive comments were made in Parliament while the Ministry of Justice and Home Office are working with stakeholders and the restorative justice movement on several initiatives including standards and accreditation.