Handbook on Restorative justice programmes

Management of the programme: Once a good governance structure is
in place a number of policies should be set in place, again in collaboration
and consultation with partners and major stakeholders, including opera-
tional policies and procedures on information management and data pri-
vacy protection, case referral procedures and processes, case management,
professional development, public relations, programme performance,
and programme evaluation and monitoring.
Costs forecasting, budgeting and funding: There are inevitable costs
associated with any organizational change or new programme, even when
they are implemented in order to achieve economy or maximize cost-
effectiveness. Cost-effective approaches are not usually cost-free.
Programme design should include a realistic assessment of the costs
involved (e.g. by types of tasks or projected number of cases that will be
handled in a set period of time). In the case of independent agencies,
developing a proper business plan for the programme is usually the basis
for good relationships with stakeholders and funding agencies. The work-
ing assumptions upon which a programme is designed and the estimated
costs should be spelled out clearly and any factor that may affect these
costs in the future should be identified. When possible, the development
of resource management and utilization policies, adequate cost account-
ing and monitoring mechanisms, and performance indicators will all help
put the programme on a sound financial footing.