Treasury written question – answered at on 14 January 2008.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward measures to grant powers to the police to require an offender to pay compensation to a victim without the need to put the offender before a court.
I have been asked to reply.
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (as amended by the Police and Justice Act 2006) already enables the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to offer a caution with conditions attached to an offender where there is sufficient evidence to charge him or her with an offence which is admitted.
Conditions are currently aimed at rehabilitation (addressing the offender's behaviour) and/or reparation (making good the harm the offender has caused including the payment of compensation to a victim) and may include restorative justice processes.
The offender must agree to that caution and the conditions attached. It is for the CPS to decide whether a conditional caution is suitable and to identify appropriate conditions. If the conditions are not complied with, the offender can be prosecuted for the original offence.
The Government have no plans to grant the police powers to require offenders to make reparation by way of compensation.
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