STUDENTS at The University of Bolton are pioneering a new way of delivering justice by settling local disputes and resolving minor crimes.

Those enrolled on psychology degrees are volunteering on a Neighbourhood Justice Panel (NJP), which work with local communities to address problem behaviour and low-level offending.

In this kind of restorative justice wrongdoers are brought to a conference setting in order to discuss with the victim and trained community representatives the offence and its consequences.

Perpetrators get to better understand the harm they have caused and to agree a fitting amends — in the hope of reducing re-offending rates — while the victim receives a proper apology and has their questions answered.

First year psychology student Rosa Wai, age 29, of Bolton, said: "For me this is a fabulous opportunity.

"I see this volunteering experience as a gateway to my future career as I want to work within the criminal justice sphere."

Senior lecturer in psychology Dr Gill Allen: "We’re delighted to be the first university in the region to have its students working within a project like this and we believe we are the first in the country.

"For our students this is experience which is directly linked to many of the career paths they can pursue after they graduate."

The panels are often used as an alternative to formal prosecution and are especially utilised to settle neighbourly disputes or, in the case of Wigan, juvenile offenders aged between 10 and 17 who are entering the criminal justice system for the first time.

Bringing students into the scheme is the vision of Chief Inspector Carol Martin, of Bolton division, at Greater Manchester Police and the training is being led by Wigan Council’s team leader for restorative approaches development Graham Doubleday.

Wigan Council introduced the panels in one area in November 2012 when it was one of 15 pilot areas nationwide and has since rolled out this method of restorative justice to the rest of the borough.

The University of Bolton psychology students complete their third and final session of training later this month before being able to contribute to real panel meetings.

Chf Insp Martin said: "I am really keen to get young people involved in the Neighbourhood Justice Panel, especially university students, as not only do they bring young offenders into contact with mediators who are their peers but they also get to meet young people who will hopefully inspire them and show them what can be achieved through education.

"NJPs have been around in many cultures for hundreds of years and they can be very effective in helping communities deal with conflicts.

"We understand that there are people who are not comfortable dealing with the police but working with their communities to resolve issues can have real, lasting impact."

Mr Doubleday added: "Wigan was one of the first authorities to bring in RJCs, a service we have found very effective in dealing with minor crimes and neighbourhood disputes which do not need to involve the court system.

"These are certainly the first students we have trained and their enthusiasm has been really encouraging."

The project is one of several to develop from a Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the University’s School of Education and Psychology and Greater Manchester Police in September 2015 to support the provision of placement opportunities for students as well as future joint projects with the school, particularly with the Criminological and Forensic Psychology team.