As he adopts a new job title for his second term, Ron Hogg, the elected police, crime and victims’ commissioner for County Durham and Darlington explains how the new Restorative Hub can help bring closure to victims of crime

JOANNE is a County Durham woman in her early 40s, who was attacked on a dark January morning in 2015 on her way to work, by a young man with a knife. Although not badly harmed physically, Joanne was inevitably traumatised by the experience.

Normally a bright, confident woman, she became withdrawn and reluctant to go out in public, fearing that she might bump into her attacker, and uneasy about the intentions of other passers-by.

Instead of walking to work, Joanne relied on friends and family for lifts. When she learned that her attacker had been charged and allowed bail, she felt angry and disempowered. "He was able to walk the streets whilst I felt like a prisoner" says Joanne.

Two months after her ordeal, Joanne met Paula Somersall, a former Probation Officer whose work I jointly fund with Restorative Solutions, a Community Interest Company. Paula introduced Joanne to restorative justice.

It allows victims to have their say, to get answers to their questions and to find a positive way to move forward. It also gives offenders an insight into the real impact of their behaviour.

Joanne decided that a face-to-face meeting with the offender would allow her to get things off her chest and confront her attacker.

Before the meeting, Joanne had written a letter to the offender. "I thought this would help me to focus on what I wanted to say" says Joanne. In the meeting, which took place at Durham Prison, she felt confident enough to read the letter out to the offender. Joanne says: "I wasn’t looking for an apology; I just wanted him to know the emotional consequences of what he had done."

The meeting also allowed Joanne to ask him questions which she felt she could not get answers to during the investigation. Following the meeting, Joanne said: "Even though I knew what he was telling me were lies, I was able to have my say and hopefully make him realise how his one action affected me and my life."

At this stage the offender had been convicted but not sentenced. The meeting was followed by the sentencing hearing at Durham Crown Court. Joanne felt empowered as she sat near the Judge and read out her Victim Personal Statement, and listened as the Judge imposed a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Joanne left the sentence hearing feeling more equipped to move forward with her life. "I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I have been involved in the process and listened to, rather than it all being about the offender," she says.

Victims have not normally been able to meet their offender in the way that Joanne did. There is a long tradition of keeping the two separate. The Restorative Hub, which I am launching today, will both promote the use of restorative justice and respond directly to victim requests for this service throughout the criminal justice process. It will provide safe and informed opportunities for victims to seek the answers they often require.

Whilst this is not the right approach in all cases, the process can really help some victims to cope and recover from the impact of the crime.

Restorative Justice benefits the victim, helping them to understand why the crime happened to them and to become involved in the sentencing process. Victims can choose their level of involvement: communication can take place through a face-to-face meeting or if a victim wants answers but does not want to meet their offender, they can communicate through an intermediary.

Research shows that offenders who have been made aware of the consequences of their actions can be motivated to address their offending behaviour and not to offend again.

I am giving very high priority to putting victims at the heart of the criminal justice system in my second term. I will be putting in place a number of services to support victims to come to terms with the crime or anti-social behaviour which they have suffered. Services should be customised to meet their needs as individuals. It is with the importance of victims in mind that I have changed my job title to Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner as I enter my second term of office in County Durham and Darlington.