News & Announcements
How intentional one-on-one conversations build trust, culture, and collective capacity
One of my favorite quotes is by the late great Maya Angelou, which says, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” These feelings, good or bad, are rooted in trust, safety, voice, and agency, which are foundational to strong relationships.
Join a dedicated team of changemakers expanding global access to healing, connection, and justice. The IIRP’s newly launched Development Advisory Group comprises a powerful network of individuals committed to advancing our mission, vision, and values—and to amplifying our global impact. This forward-thinking team plays a vital role in shaping innovative fundraising strategies, sparking high-impact partnerships, and expanding access to restorative practices for individuals and communities around the world.
The mystery genre meets restorative practices
Margaret Murray, the IIRP’s editorial director of new publications and former librarian, is the author of the book Forging Justice. This mystery novel illustrates how restorative justice might be used to address criminal behavior. Margaret’s passions for literature and restorative justice serve as the foundation for the premise of her unique publication.
Congratulations to IIRP alum Katie Owens-Murphy and current student Thomas Levy, for successfully defending their theses in Summer 2025! The thesis option provides students with the opportunity to bridge scholarship and practice. Through an investigation into their specific area of interest, students truly dig into the uses and mechanisms of restorative justice and restorative practices in various contexts. Offering students a pathway to publication and growing their experience with research, thesis students are encouraged to explore the intricacies of the application of restorative practices, its influence on outcomes, and where pitfalls may appear.
AI is more than summaries and automation; it has the potential to strengthen and relationships for greater connectivity and collaboration.
The quickly expanding uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are seemingly boundless. From home kitchens to space stations, AI has found its way into many aspects of human life. But what about using AI to improve our relationships? AI for better conversations with fellow humans? Can AI support the use of restorative practices?
Using evidence-based practices to support the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of justice-involved youth in Omaha.
When a child is removed from their community, they lose more than just their place of being; they lose a continuity of care that affects their recovery in many ways. RADIUS, in Omaha, NE, was established to stop the cycle of loss.
RADIUS, a non-profit organization serving youth ages 12-18 with a focus on restoring relationships between youth, families, and their community, is filling a vital gap in youth services in Omaha. Their mission is to offer care and counsel to Omaha youth involved in the juvenile justice system without disruptions in family relationships, education, and local support networks, which are essential to their future success.
We know that humans are born with the intrinsic need to connect and experience belonging in their communities. In the same way that breathing is second nature but mindful breaths take concerted effort, building community requires intention. To that end, restorative practices as a field provides the tools for intentional community-building and connection-strengthening. Engaging with restorative practices can come naturally, like breathing, while some concepts can be more challenging to learn and internalize.
Key Takeaways:
- By ages 14–18, youth are entering a powerful stage of growth where they begin to think deeply about who they are and how they fit into the world. Known as transcendent thinking, this hallmark of mid-adolescence opens the door to profound learning, reflection, and connection.
- Strong transcendent thinking shapes how teens’ brains grow and predicts psychosocial outcomes via brain network development, leading to healthier social and emotional outcomes in young adulthood.
- These principles reveal why restorative practices, strong community relationships, and a sense of belonging promote our neuropathways toward safeness, allowing focus and curiosity.
- When embraced by restorative practitioners and educators, these insights provide endless entry points for curating culturally responsive and relevant resources for curriculum and instruction.
What does a healthy organizational culture look like? How does relational leadership look in practice? What do thriving workplaces have in common?
Join us for a webinar on February 10 at 3:00 p.m. EST as President, Dr. Linda Kligman, and IIRP Canada Director, Pat Lewis, M.Ed., explore these questions through the lens of restorative practices' positive effect on workplace culture.
Honoring her roots and the work she believes in.
Our investments back into the IIRP benefit our students, which in turn benefits the world. Kristen Juhn (Webber), MA, is our director of graduate enrollment and student success. When a student is admitted into the IIRP, Kristen is there to guide them through the process of course selection, as well as support them through balancing life and pursuing graduate education. (She even serves as a shoulder to cry on from time to time.) Kristen is a recurring donor who exemplifies what it means to give back.
Restorative Works Year in Review 2025 (PDF)
All our donors are acknowledged annually in Restorative Works.