A SENIOR police officer says using restorative justice to deal with offenders is "not a soft touch".
Under the system, offenders are offered the option of carrying out a task nominated by their victim as well as giving an apology instead of being dealt with through the courts.
Speaking at an East Riding Council scrutiny meeting, Chief Inspector James Glansfield gave the recent example of a 13-year-old who completed a fund-raising walk between Hull and Beverley after stealing a charity box from a shop in Anlaby.
Ch Insp Glansfield said publicity surrounding the case had hopefully caused enough embarrassment for the teenager to convince him to steer clear of crime in the future.
"Restorative justice reduces re-offending by 50 per cent," he said.
"It is not a soft touch. It stops people re-offending by engaging with them very early on."
Ch Insp Glansfield said taking people though the courts for minor offences was often "like hitting a nut with a hammer."
He said: "The most important thing about restorative justice is that it is victim-led. Victims call the shots."
