Vermont to Host Nation’s First National Center on Restorative Justice

Vermont is stepping into the national spotlight with a $3 million investment from the U.S. Department of Justice to establish the country’s first National Center on Restorative Justice. The funding, announced by Senator Patrick Leahy, will support Vermont Law and Graduate School in South Royalton in partnership with the University of Vermont, the University of San Diego, and the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs.

The new center will focus on expanding understanding of restorative justice among criminal justice professionals, educators, and community leaders. Vermont Law and Graduate School is already home to the only master’s degree in restorative justice offered by a law school in the United States, making it uniquely positioned to lead this work.

Senator Leahy noted that addressing mass incarceration requires a fundamental rethinking of justice. “By establishing a national center that will focus on engaging with the community, including our incarcerated population, we can begin to do just that,” he said.

For Vermont communities, this is more than a symbolic investment. The center’s presence means new opportunities for training, research, and resources that can strengthen local efforts already underway. Organizations like the Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center are part of this landscape, working every day to create spaces for accountability, healing, and community care outside of incarceration.

At HCRJC, we see this national recognition as a reflection of the hard work that has been happening across Vermont for years. It affirms that restorative justice is not just a local practice but a model with the power to shape how justice is carried out across the country.

We are excited to see how this national center will deepen Vermont’s leadership in restorative justice and connect directly to the work happening here in the Upper Valley.

Neighbor Notes will continue to share updates on what this national investment means for Hartford and beyond.

Reference: Vermont Law and Graduate School – DOJ Grant Announcement