What is Restorative Justice?

Restorative justice is a philosophy that addresses harm and how to repair it. It is founded on the belief that when someone violates a rule or law, it is also a violation of the relationships we have with one another. As a result, justice is best served when those who committed the violation come together with those who were affected and members of the community to address the harm caused.

Restorative justice addresses three central questions:

• Who has been hurt?
• What are their needs?
• Whose obligations are these?

Restorative Justice and School Discipline

Restorative approaches to discipline, such as peer juries, peer mediation and talking circles, create a non-judgmental space for the student, those affected, and members of the school community to discuss what happened, build accountability, and collaborate to find solutions.

Student circle keepers, peer jurors, and peer mediators lead the process and play an active role in shaping their school community, while developing leadership qualities and communication skills.

Since 1996 Alternative’s has partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to provide restorative justice training, technical assistance, and youth programming to over 65 schools across the city. Alternatives, Inc. also played an influential role in changing the CPS Student Code of Conduct to include restorative justice practices in 2007.