Restorative Justice

BRIEF SUMMARY

Restorative justice is a  program based on respect, responsibility, relationship-building and relationship-repairing.  It focuses on mediation and agreement rather than punishment. It aims to keep kids in school and to create a safe environment where learning can flourish.

KEY POINTS

• Restorative justice doesn’t work as an add-on. It requires us to address the roots of student “misbehavior” and a willingness to rethink and rework classrooms, schools, and school districts.
• unlike a typical discipline program, restorative justice is not a cut-and-dried system with prescribed steps to follow in every situation. If done correctly, schools that shift to restorative justice will approach it holistically, looking at preventing wrongdoing as much as—if not more than—how to address it when it occurs.

RESOURCES

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• The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools.  Teaching Responsibility; Creating Caring Climates.  By Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz and Judy H. Mullet.  Good Books (publisher).
• P2Rs from Christel House Academy and Restorative Justice Practices in Practice at Christel House Academy (Indianapolis)
• Restorative Practices, One-pager
• Restorative Justice Reflection Sheet

SHARED WISDOM

• Responses from Counselor Talk, April 2018
• A commitment to restorative justice has to be built over time; it can’t be mandated or compelled.
• The zero-tolerance discipline policies of the past few decades have dramatically increased suspension rates in many districts, which can in turn lower graduation rates and ultimately push more students into the juvenile justice system.  Those suspensions do nothing to repair harm.

CONTENT FEEDBACK

If you have suggestions, feedback, or resources, please email counselor1stop@inspiresuccess.org and let us know.