GIVING victims more of a say in how criminals are dealt with sounds like a good idea, but for Richard Scerrie it has been a frustrating experience.
The disabled father-of-two was burnt in the face when he was hit by a chemical fired from a water pistol by a gang of youths in east Hull.
Mr Scerrie, 37, was told by doctors he was lucky not to have been blinded in the attack after suffering burns to his cheeks, nose, mouth and hand.
He was targeted by a gang in a car as he waited to cross the road in Southcoates Lane in August.
With restorative justice on the rise, more victims will be asked for their say on how the offender is dealt with.
But Mr Scerrie remains frustrated by his experience.
He said: "The police offered to get me in a room with the offender and meet him face-to-face.
"They said he was only 17 years old and it was his first offence.
"I reluctantly agreed. I felt that we all make mistakes and at least he was man enough to meet in person.
"He seemed to be all for it but then had second thoughts and just wanted to write a letter of apology.
"I don't want a letter of apology because I can't tell if he means it. He could be laughing as he writes it for all I know."
Mr Scerrie, who lives in Keyingham with his wife Carrie, 28, and two children, is still waiting to find out how the matter will be resolved.
He believes the threat of punishment is the best way of dealing with offences.
He said: "When I was younger we wouldn't get these kind of chances. If you did something wrong you were punished.
"I feel this softly, softly approach is part of the reason our community is full of thugs.
"They are asking the victim to decide the fate of the offender, but that should be the job of the police and the justice system.
"I don't think restorative justice is providing any sort of deterrent.
"Offences like arson should never be dealt with this way, I just don't think the process is quite right."
But Humberside police and crime commissioner Matthew Grove believes the system is working.
He said: "In my regular meetings with victims, they constantly tell me they are dissatisfied with the outcomes of the criminal justice system, and almost always they never hear the word 'sorry'.
"There is something clearly wrong with a system that does not put victims first, but restorative justice can put the victim firmly back in the driving seat."
Mr Grove refutes any suggestion restorative justice is a easy way out for offenders.
He said: "This isn't a soft option. It's about giving victims a stronger sense of justice being done and directing offenders down the right path in life, rather than locking them into a life of crime, leaving many victims in their wake.
"It's not a substitute for prosecution but recognises that punishment is often not enough to stop criminals offending. It needs to be complemented with a focus on rehabilitating offenders."
Mr Grove believes the process can be cathartic for victims.
He said: "With the agreement of the victim, they have a supervised meeting with the perpetrator and tell them exactly how they feel and what the consequences of their criminal actions have been.
"For many victims who have taken this decision, it has made them feel more empowered and also had a profound effect on changing the attitude and behaviour of the offender."
Growing use of restorative justiceHUMBERSIDE Police has increased its use of restorative justice over the past year.
In the East Riding, 12 offences were dealt with in this way last year and that has increased to 87 so far this year.
In Hull restorative justice was used 17 times in 2013 and 160 times so far this year.
Over the past three years, restorative justice and triage diversion has been used 1,093 times to deal with offenders.
Most offences dealt with through restorative justice are crimes such as shoplifting, criminal damage and minor assaults. But sexual offences, assaulting a police officer, possess- ion of a firearm, arson endangering life and drug possession have also been dealt with this way.
Government research demonstrates that restorative justice provides an 85 per cent victim satisfaction rate, and a 14 per cent reduction in reoffending.
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