Workshop: Restorative Justice

Catalog description

Examines philosophical restorative approaches to address harm and healing for victims and communities. Although RJ is increasingly being utilized in the American criminal justice system as well as in school and community disputes, its roots are found in various ancient cultures and faith traditions. Through simulated problems and group projects, students explore examples of RJ processes that have been designed to help people heal from genocides, to address racial inequalities, to ameliorate community conflicts, among others. Focuses not only on the historical and philosophical roots of the movement, but also on its widespread international use. By working in small groups, students help design various RJ techniques including victim/offender conferencing, victim/family conferencing, victim impact panels, and Native American based circles, among others. By creating a project for the course, students have the opportunity to examine the current trends in the integration of RJ into the American criminal justice legal system while examining both the constitutional and practical barriers that can arise.