Restorative Justice is Values
Restorative justice is a value-based approach to conflict, harm, and building community. The most essential value is respect. Other central values are inclusion, democracy, responsibility, reparation, safety, healing and reintegration
Restorative Justice is a set of Principles
Wrongdoing is fundamentally a violation of people and relationships.
- The first priority is to assist and heal persons who have been harmed.
- The second priority is to restore relationships in the community
- The offender has a personal obligation to the persons harmed
- and to the community.
- The community shares responsibilities for restorative justice.
- The goal is to heal those affected and right the wrongs.
Restorative Justice is a Process
Restorative justice is a process for dealing with conflict and harm. “Restorative justice is a process whereby all the parties with a stake in a particular offense come together to resolve collectively how to deal with the aftermath of the offense and its implications for the future.” (Tony Marshall)
- For Persons Harmed: Restorative justice empowers persons harmed, offering avenues for healing and closure. With community support, victims express how they have been affected, seek answers to their questions, and assert what they need to repair the harm done.
- For Wrongdoers: Restorative justice offers people who commit harms the opportunity to be accountable, express remorse, and to make things right. Offenders are supported in making responsible choices and finding forgiveness and reintegration into the community.
- For Communities: Restorative Justice provides schools and other agencies the opportunity to address conflict and harm in ways that enhance positive youth development, reinforce moral and behavioral standards, and foster safe, thriving and peaceful communities.
Restorative Justice is a set of Approaches
Restorative Justice is a flexible set of practices that are adaptable to many purposes, enabling youth and adults to bring forward their “best self.” Successful applications include:
- Peacemaking Circles
- Family Group Conferencing
- Community Conferences
- Victim-Offender Dialogue
- Restorative Chats
- Peer Mediation
- Peer Juries
- Reparative Boards
- Victim Impact Panels
- Truth Commissions….and more!
Restorative Justice is a set of Questions
When responding to conflict or harm, a restorative approach consists in asking the following key questions:
1. What happened, and what were you thinking at the time of the incident?
2. What have you thought about since?
3. Who has been affected by what happened and how? How have you been affected?
4. What about this has been the hardest for you?
5. What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?
1. What happened, and what were you thinking at the time of the incident?
2. What have you thought about since?
3. Who has been affected by what happened and how? How have you been affected?
4. What about this has been the hardest for you?
5. What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?
Restorative Justice is a Way to Be in the World
Restorative justice is more than just a way to resolve conflict. It is a holistic understanding of a way to live everyday in alignment with our core values. Similar to mindfulness meditation, restorative justice is a set of practices that rewards practitioners—both youth and adults—with greater social/ emotional literacy, improved self-regulation, enhanced communication skills, better self-esteem, and healthier relationships.