Restorative Justice Principles and Values
- Healing-Centered: A restorative justice approach that prioritizes the needs of the person who has experienced harm, and focuses on supporting their healing and well-being.
- Cultural Humility: An approach to restorative justice that values and respects different cultural practices and beliefs, and recognizes the importance of building relationships across cultures.
- Trauma-Informed: A restorative justice approach that takes into account the impact of trauma on individuals who have experienced harm, and prioritizes their safety and well-being.
- Accountability Process: A restorative justice process that emphasizes the importance of accountability for the harm caused, and encourages the offender to take responsibility for their actions.
- Transformative Justice: An approach to restorative justice that seeks to address the root causes of harm and create systemic change, with a focus on ending oppression and building stronger, more equitable communities.
Restorative Justice Process and Practices
- Community Accountability: A restorative justice approach that emphasizes the importance of community involvement in holding individuals and institutions accountable for harm.
- Peacemaking Circles: A restorative justice process that involves bringing together those who have been harmed and those who have caused harm, along with their supporters, in a circle to engage in dialogue and repair harm. This approach emphasizes the importance of building relationships and creating a sense of community.
- Transformative Mediation: A restorative justice process that focuses on empowering the parties involved to find solutions that address the underlying causes of conflict, and that promote healing and transformation.
- Reparations: A form of reparative action that involves making amends for harm caused through financial or other means.
- Alternative to Incarceration: A restorative justice approach that seeks to provide alternatives to traditional forms of punishment, such as imprisonment, and that focus on repairing harm and promoting healing and transformation.
Restorative Justice Roles and Participants
- Circle Keeper: The person who leads the restorative justice circle and creates a safe and supportive space for those involved to share their experiences and perspectives.
- Harm-Doer: A term used in some restorative justice processes to refer to the person who has caused harm, with a focus on acknowledging their actions and taking responsibility for repairing the harm caused.
- Healing Ally: A person who provides emotional support and guidance to the person who has experienced harm, with a focus on supporting their healing and well-being.
- Community Organizer: A person who works to build relationships and promote community involvement in restorative justice processes, with a focus on building stronger, more equitable communities.
- Lived Experience: The personal experience of individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system or other forms of harm, which is valued in restorative justice processes as a source of expertise and insight.
Restorative Justice Implementation and Policy
- Restorative Discipline: A restorative justice approach to discipline in schools, which focuses on repairing harm and promoting healing and transformation, rather than punishing students for misbehavior.
- Victim-Survivor-Centered: A restorative justice approach that prioritizes the needs and experiences of the person who has experienced harm, and that seeks to empower them to be active participants in the restorative justice process.
- Procedural Justice: A restorative justice approach that emphasizes the importance of fair and transparent procedures, with a focus on ensuring that all parties are treated with respect and dignity.
- Reentry Support: A restorative justice approach to supporting individuals who are returning to the community after incarceration, with a focus on promoting
- healing, building relationships, and providing the resources and support needed to successfully reintegrate into society.
- Restorative Justice in Policing: A restorative justice approach to policing that emphasizes community engagement, de-escalation, and repairing harm caused by law enforcement, with a focus on building trust and promoting safety and well-being for all.
- Restorative Justice Evaluation and Research
- Process Evaluation: An evaluation of the restorative justice process itself, with a focus on how well it is implemented and whether it is meeting its goals.
- Outcome Evaluation: An evaluation of the impact of restorative justice practices, with a focus on whether they are reducing recidivism, promoting healing, and building stronger communities.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: An evaluation of the costs and benefits of restorative justice practices, with a focus on whether they are a cost-effective alternative to traditional forms of punishment.
- Restorative Justice Research: Research that seeks to better understand the effectiveness and impact of restorative justice practices, with a focus on identifying best practices and improving outcomes for those involved.
- Restorative Justice Advocacy: Advocacy efforts that seek to promote the adoption and implementation of restorative justice practices, with a focus on building awareness and support for this approach to justice.
Restorative Justice Tools and Techniques
- Family Group Conferencing: A restorative justice process that brings together family members, along with other relevant individuals, to discuss issues and concerns, and develop a plan for resolving conflicts and repairing harm.
- Restorative Dialogue: A restorative justice process that involves open and honest communication between those involved in a conflict, with a focus on understanding each other’s perspectives and finding ways to repair harm and build stronger relationships.
- Community Service: A form of reparative action that involves completing meaningful work for the benefit of the community, as a way of making amends for harm caused.
- Victim-Offender Mediation: A restorative justice process that involves a mediated conversation between the person who has experienced harm and the person who has caused harm, with a focus on repairing harm and finding ways to move forward.
- Art-Based Restorative Justice: A restorative justice approach that uses art and other creative practices as a way of facilitating healing and building community, with a focus on promoting self-expression and building relationships.
Restorative Justice and Intersectionality
- Queer and Trans Restorative Justice: A restorative justice approach that takes into account the experiences of queer and trans individuals, and that seeks to create a safe and supportive space for them to participate in the restorative justice process.
- Restorative Justice for Indigenous Peoples: A restorative justice approach that values and respects Indigenous traditions and practices, and that seeks to repair harm caused by colonization and ongoing systemic injustices.
- Disability Justice Restorative Practices: A restorative justice approach that takes into account the experiences of individuals with disabilities, and that seeks to create an inclusive and accessible restorative justice process.
- Restorative Justice and Immigration: A restorative justice approach that takes into account the experiences of immigrants and refugees, and that seeks to address the harm caused by immigration policies and practices.
- Environmental Restorative Justice: A restorative justice approach that seeks to repair harm caused to the environment and to communities impacted by environmental degradation, with a focus on promoting environmental justice and sustainability.
Restorative Practices in Schools
- Restorative Justice Coordinator: A staff member in a school who is responsible for overseeing the implementation of restorative justice practices and providing support and training to other staff members.
- Circle: A restorative practice that involves sitting in a circle and having open and honest conversations, with a focus on building relationships, resolving conflicts, and repairing harm.
- Community Building Circles: Circles that are used to build a sense of community and promote a positive school climate, with a focus on relationship-building, shared values, and mutual respect.
- Responsive Circles: Circles that are used to address issues and conflicts that arise in the classroom or school community, with a focus on repairing harm and finding solutions that work for everyone.
- Restorative Conferencing: A restorative justice process that involves a facilitated conversation between those involved in a conflict, with a focus on repairing harm, finding solutions, and building relationships.
- Restorative Language: Language that is used in a restorative justice context, which emphasizes respect, empathy, and understanding, and that is designed to promote positive relationships and constructive conversations.
- Restorative Justice Action Plan: A plan that is developed through a restorative justice process, which outlines the steps that will be taken to repair harm, prevent future harm, and promote positive relationships.
- Restorative Justice in Discipline: A restorative justice approach to discipline, which emphasizes repairing harm and promoting positive behavior, rather than punishment and exclusion.
- Restorative Justice in Education: A restorative justice approach to education, which emphasizes building relationships, promoting social and emotional learning, and creating a positive school climate that supports academic success and overall well-being.
- Restorative Response: A restorative justice approach to responding to incidents of harm, which focuses on repairing harm, restoring relationships, and preventing future harm.
- Restorative Mentoring: A restorative justice approach to mentoring, which involves building positive relationships and providing support to students in a way that promotes academic success and overall well-being.
- Restorative Classroom Management: A restorative justice approach to classroom management, which emphasizes building positive relationships, promoting positive behavior, and resolving conflicts in a way that repairs harm and promotes learning.
- Restorative Circles in the Classroom: A restorative justice practice that involves using circles in the classroom to build community, promote learning, and address issues and conflicts that arise.
- Restorative Parent-Teacher Conferences: A restorative justice approach to parent-teacher conferences, which involves building positive relationships, resolving conflicts, and promoting academic success and overall well-being.
- Restorative Justice Peer Mediation: A restorative justice practice that involves training students to act as mediators in conflicts between their peers, with a focus on repairing harm and promoting positive relationships.
- Restorative Justice for Bullying Prevention: A restorative justice approach to preventing bullying, which involves building positive relationships, promoting empathy and understanding, and using restorative practices to address incidents of harm and prevent future harm.
- Restorative Justice Restitution: A restorative justice approach to restitution, which involves repairing harm and making amends in a way that promotes positive relationships and prevents future harm.
- Restorative Justice Advisory Board: A group of students, staff, and community members who are responsible for promoting and supporting restorative justice practices in the school community.
- Restorative Justice Curriculum: A curriculum that incorporates restorative justice principles and practices into academic coursework, with a focus on promoting social and emotional learning and building positive relationships.
Whole School Restorative Practices
- Restorative School Culture: A school culture that is grounded in restorative justice principles and practices, and that emphasizes building positive relationships, resolving conflicts, and repairing harm in a way that promotes learning and growth.
- Restorative Leadership: Leadership that is grounded in restorative justice principles and practices, and that promotes a school culture that values empathy, respect, and relationship-building.
- Restorative School Climate: The overall atmosphere and tone of the school, which is shaped by the interactions and relationships among students, staff, and the broader school community.
- Restorative Justice Committee: A group of stakeholders in the school community (students, staff, parents, and community members) who are responsible for promoting and supporting restorative justice practices throughout the school.
- Restorative Justice Staff Development: Professional development opportunities for staff on restorative justice practices and principles, with a focus on building skills and knowledge that support a restorative school culture.
- Restorative Justice School Policies: School policies that are grounded in restorative justice principles and practices, and that emphasize repairing harm, promoting positive behavior, and building positive relationships.
- Restorative Justice School-wide Practices: Restorative justice practices that are implemented school-wide, with a focus on building positive relationships, promoting positive behavior, and resolving conflicts in a way that repairs harm and promotes learning.
- Restorative Justice Student Support Services: Support services for students that are grounded in restorative justice principles and practices, with a focus on building positive relationships, promoting academic success, and providing social and emotional support.
- Restorative Justice Parent Education: Education and training for parents on restorative justice practices and principles, with a focus on building positive relationships, resolving conflicts, and promoting academic success and overall well-being.
- Restorative Justice School Partnerships: Partnerships with community organizations and agencies that support restorative justice principles and practices, with a focus on building a supportive and positive school culture.
Restorative justice is a rapidly growing field, and there are many more terms and concepts to explore. This glossary is just a starting point, and there is much more to learn about the principles, practices, and impacts of this transformative approach to justice.
