Introduction to Restorative Justice
"Give yourself time to heal"
What is this course about?
Have you ever thought about what happens to victims of violence, their families, and communities? How can offenders be part of society again after causing harm? This course introduces Restorative Justice as a healing process for the victims, offenders, and their communities. It will elaborate on how we can use restorative justice to repair the harm done by conflicts.
Click here* to view the course map and the overall course objectives.
Why is the topic important?
Restorative justice, a practice first established by indigenous communities, is a path for healing. The concept of restorative justice emerged due to the limitations of the regular criminal justice system (Zehr & Gohar, 2002). While the criminal system focuses on punishing the offender, restorative justice extends justice to all parties involved in the crime, including the victim, the offender, and their communities. According to Zehr and Gohar (2002), the restorative justice movement "began as an effort to rethink the needs and roles implicit in crimes" (p. 17). Thus, the importance of restorative justice lies in its comprehensive approach to repairing the harm caused by conflict.
What should I know before taking this course?
No prior knowledge is required for taking this course. The lessons' complexity build up to go deeper into the topic of restorative justice. You can evaluate your knowledge of the topic by taking the "Test My Knowledge" test.
CW: Lesson 3 features topics that may be triggering to some. The Introduction to Restorative Justice course may be completed without reading/completing Lesson 3. To skip Lesson 3, use the menu drop down to access Lessons 1-2, 4-6.
Can I share this course with my community?
Yes! The vision of UVA Survivors is to raise awareness about the concept and practice of restorative justice. Share the following link with your community and friends: