Objectives

By the end of this lesson, learners will:

• Cite examples of multiple options for justice that exist in the practice of restorative justice.

• Review and illustrate examples of implementing restorative justice in domains other than the criminal domain.

• Conclude the ways to implement restorative justice principles and concepts in their personal lives.

• Each restorative justice effort varies based on the context and parties involved. Below are two examples.

• The Community Peace Programme in South Africa developed a model of local governance which were based on initiatives in place at almost 200 sites in the country. Titled “Peace Committees”, these groups focused on facilitating peacemaking in their communities, encouraging the establishment and cultivation of community relationships and appreciation of local knowledge. One part of their statement on their mission is, “Our aim is to heal, not to hurt”, which resonates with the goal of restorative justice. (United Nations, 2020, p. 29)

• Victim Surrogate Programs: Rather than the offender facing the victim of their offense, in this practice the offender meets with an individual who faced a similar experience as the victim of the offense to help the offender process their actions and consequences, often with other offenders in the same space and conversation. This practice highlights the importance of all parties involved in an offense being actively involved in the healing process. A specific example of a victim surrogate program is the Sycamore Tree Project, although other, non-religious programs of this nature exist as well. (United Nations, 2020, p. 38)

• The simplest but most effective way to implement restorative practices in daily life is to operationalize communication.

• For instance, when addressing or mediating a conflict, use affective language.

1. Affective statements: Statements which communicate an individual's feelings. Example: "I" Statements

2. Affective questions: Questions provided to another individual to reflect on how their behavior has affected the person. Example: "Who do you think has been affected by what you did? ... How do you think they have been affected?"

• Consistent and systematic use of small but effective restorative practices such as these builds an environment of restorative justice, promoting open communication, honesty, accountability, and empathy. (Wachtel, 2013, p. 9)

• Howard Zehr, co-author of The Little Book of Restorative Justice (2002), conveyed a list of 10 ways to live each day using restorative practices. Below is Zehr's (2007) list of "10 Ways to Live Restoratively":

Reflection Form

Reflect on your understanding of survivor empowerment, and share with us your thoughts by filling out the following Reflection Form:

Check-in Questions

Test your knowledge about the material through taking the following check-in questions. Please note that these questions provide feedback on the spot for you, but responses are not tracked nor recorded.

Canva Pro [Computer software]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.canva.com/.

Howard, Martin. (2014, August 1). Sycamore Tree Project - Australia - 5 min [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_8b59Gy_ig

Marshall, C. (2014). Restoring what? The practice, promise and perils of restorative justice in New Zealand. Policy Quarterly, 10(2), pp. 3-11. https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/issue/view/531/pq10-2

Restorative Solutions. (n.d.). Restorative community justice. http://restorativesolutions.us/schoolprograms/restorative-community-justice

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2020). Handbook on restorative justice programs. United Nations. https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/20-01146_Handbook_on_Restorative_Justice_Programmes.pdf

Wachtel, T. (2016). Defining restorative. International Institute for Restorative Practices. https://www.iirp.edu/images/pdf/Defining-Restorative_Nov-2016.pdf

Zehr, H. & Gohar, A. (2002). The little book of restorative justice.