Chapter 1: Understanding Restorative Justice
Estimated time: 15 to 20 minutes
Video to watch: Communities For Restorative Justice: An Introduction Video (YouTube, about 4 minutes).
Learning Goals
Describe the RJ lens for addressing harm.
Use the three RJ questions to reframe a situation.
Explain the difference between law-focused justice and people-focused justice.
Core Idea
The traditional system treats crime as breaking a law. The main questions are: What law was broken, who did it, and what punishment is deserved.
Restorative Justice treats harm as damage to people and relationships. The main questions are:
Who was harmed
What do they need
Who has responsibility for making things right
Short Scenarios
Retail Theft
A teenager steals from a neighborhood store. In court, the outcome might be a fine or a record. In a panel, the store owner, the teen, and volunteers meet. The owner describes practical loss and a sense of violation. The teen explains what led to the choice and accepts responsibility. The group designs a repair plan that could include an apology, participation in a theft awareness class, and a community contribution that fits the harm.
Principles to Keep in View
Crime is a violation of people and relationships.
Violations create obligations.
Justice involves the person harmed, the responsible person, and the community in an effort to put things right.
Myths and Facts
Myth: RJ lets people avoid consequences.
Fact: RJ centers accountability by asking the responsible person to make specific repairs that meet real needs.Myth: RJ is only a conversation.
Fact: RJ ends with a written agreement with clear tasks and timelines. Completion is reviewed with staff and volunteers.
Car Break-In
Neighbors who hear about the break-in feel less safe walking at night. The ripple effects go beyond the direct loss and into community trust. Panels surface these ripple effects so the agreement addresses them, not only the individual loss.
Volunteer Vocabulary
Responsible party: the person who caused harm.
Harmed party: the person or people who experienced the harm.
Community: the wider circle affected by the ripple effects of an incident.
Restorative agreement: the written plan for repair that is specific, achievable, and time-bound.
Micro-Scripts to Practice
To the responsible party: “What were you hoping would happen at the time, and what do you think about that choice now?”
To the harmed party if present: “What has been the hardest part since this happened?”
To the group: “What needs to be repaired so people can move forward?”
Key Takeaways
RJ centers people, needs, and obligations.
Repair is concrete and tailored.
Community belongs in the room because harm ripples outward.