News & Announcements
For Derek Miodownik, Community and Restorative Justice Executive for Vermont Department of Corrections (DoC), the main issue is how the justice system and corrections can help reinstate the social contract. On the one hand, the community needs to know that it will be safe from further harm. On the other hand, offenders need to understand the benefits to them of becoming rehabilitated citizens.
Nicola Preston wears many hats, but they all involve restorative practices. She's a lecturer at the IIRP teaching online courses and a special education needs coordinator for a UK primary (elementary) school. She says that restorative practices have even made a big impact in her personal and family life.
Cofer says his school is probably one of the better educational institutions in Baltimore City, but there are still plenty of problems. In particular, he laments the loss of feelings of pride and community kids used to have about school.
An invitation to students, parents, teachers and community organizations
Introduction to Restorative Practices – An Educational Workshop
Two dates: 8:30 am–3:30 pm, Saturday, August 16 or 8:30 am–3:30 pm, Tuesday, August 26
Location: John Bartram High School, 2401 S. 67th St., Philadelphia, PA 19142
Natalie Medina, an actor who also teaches theater to youth in Panama with Fundación Amaneceres, discusses why kids like the combination of theater and circles, the importance of the talking piece and a play young refugees developed inspired during a circle discussion.
Last year, Jamaica, as a key component of implementing its National Restorative Justice Policy, opened seven Community Restorative Justice Centers working officially in 11 communities. In their first phase of implementation, these centers have begun to address community conflicts and complaints outside the formal justice system.
When teenagers turn to drugs and alcohol in ways that damage their lives and relationships, it’s challenging to help them turn their lives around. The choice to use alcohol and drugs can mask other underlying issues, including shame and other painful emotions, and can be exacerbated by the difficulties of communication. This article explores how everyday language can be used within a restorative framework to help parents of teens struggling with drug abuse and addiction to reintegrate in a healthy way with their families, schools, friends and communities.
Drug and alcohol counselor Elizabeth Smull, who has worked primarily with teens struggling with addiction and their families, uses the full range of restorative practices on a daily basis, especially many of the more informal practices, such as affective statements and questions. Beyond using these techniques, Smull actively teaches those she works with how to use these techniques themselves. This begins immediately after a teen has returned home from a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program or has been court-ordered to a period of juvenile probation.
Selvenis has committed Holtzman Elementary, which serves grades three to five and is located on the outskirts of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA, to school-wide restorative practices implementation. “From what I have seen,” he said, “the strongest implication is for the classroom. I see teachers utilizing circles for instruction and actually working on academics. Teachers are using circles to share information and have students report out from groups, talk about their beliefs and argue their points of view. ”
St. Croix Valley Restorative Justice Program (SCVRJP), based in River Falls, Wisconsin, USA, has developed a unique practice for working with young adults who have been arrested for crimes such as underage drinking, possession of drugs and paraphernalia, disorderly conduct and teen driving offenses. Using a restorative circle process, SCVRJP brings together offenders referred by the local courts, universities and high schools, who meet together with previous offenders and other community volunteers who have been impacted by these issues. A volunteer circle-keeper facilitates a focused discussion to present information to participants and to share a variety of perspectives.
The process builds upon victim impact panels (VIP), a process in which victims and family of drunk driving accidents tell their stories to those caught drinking and driving. Often VIPs take place in a hall full of participants, with the victims telling their stories from a podium or stage. Kris Miner, director of SCVRJP since 2004, wanted to make the experience more intimate and meaningful. “We continued to call them panels at first,” she said, “but actually we ran them as restorative justice circles.”
Restorative Works Year in Review 2025 (PDF)
All our donors are acknowledged annually in Restorative Works.