Restorative Justice

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Restorative Justice, sometimes known as restorative justice, is a form of justice which focuses on problem solving and the healing process for both the victim and the accused.

Methods and processes

• Victim-Offender Dialogue
• Family Group Conferencing
• Community/School Conferencing
• Peacemaking Circles
• Reparative Boards
• Truth/ Reconciliation Commissions
• Victim Impact Panels
• Restorative Community Service
• Restitution
• Victim Support/Services
• Reintegration Services

History

Restorative justice today

• Kake, Alaska: Since 2001 there have been thirty-six Peacemaking Circles in Kake. The circles have involved misdemeanor activity or parental alcohol abuse cases. Currently, all minor consuming alcohol cases in the area are dealt with by Circle Peacemaking.

• O’ahu, Hawaii: The Huikahi Restorative Circle is a restorative justice project developed in 2005. It is a group process for reentry planning which works with the incarcerated individual, his or her family and friends, and one prison representative. This circle process focuses on both shutting the “revolving door” and helping incarcerated individuals and their loved ones to find ways to heal from the harm created by crime and imprisonment.

• Boston, Massachusetts: An organization called Roca uses the Peacemaking Circle as an alternative way to deal with conflict. To help maintain a healthy community, the organization helps homeless youth, gang members and teenagers solve their problems before it leads to a prison sentence.

• Minnesota: Restorative justice work began in Minnesota in the early 1990’s. All 10 of the Minnesota Correctional Facilities as well as many probation offices have restorative justice activities happening on a regular basis. According to a 2004 survey, probation offices in 63 counties have restorative justice services and 18 of which have programs involving circle peacemaking.

• Pennington County, South Dakota: In 2012 the county introduced the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative in an effort to reduce juvenile detention in the county.

Read more here: Alternative justice in Pennington County, South Dakota

• Barron County, Wisconsin: Former Judge Edward Brunner was responsible for the introduction of restorative justice to Barron County in 1998. That year, the Barron County Restorative Justice Programs, Inc. was launched in an effort to mobilize greater community resources in partnership with government resources.

See also

• Philosophy of law
• Circle Peacemaking
• WikiProject: Restorative Justice

Restorative justice in your state

If you know of an organization or group in your state involved with Restorative Justice let us know!

• Contact: kevin@judgepedia.org

Restorative justice in the media

• ONE News "More funding for restorative justice" June 15, 2011
• Times & Star "Maryport woman meets youths who made life hell" June 17, 2010
• wsbt.com "RJ in use: Sawyer family moves forward after devastating loss" August 31st, 2009
• Homer News "Office of Juvenile Justice working to prevent, not just punish, crime" September 8, 2010
• Glacier Interactive Media "A new concept of justice" November 23, 2010

External links

• Responding Restoratively to Vulnerable Victims, Youths, and Families
• Peacemaking Circles "A process for solving problems and building community"
• Circle Peacemaking "A Publication of the Justice Center by Lisa Rieger"
• The Smith Institute "restorative justice: the evidence"
• Federal Probation "Huikahi Restorative Circles: A Public Health Approach for Reentry Planning"
• Restorative Justice on doc.state.mn.us