Higher Education
Martin Howard: Crocus from Reimagining Justice: a Restorative Justice Art Gallery
The National Center on Restorative Justice promotes restorative justice education in undergraduate, graduate, and law programs across the country.
The existing criminal legal system replenishes itself regularly with newly minted graduates and other professionals educated and trained in an adversarial model. This classical education teaches criminal justice leaders to use the law, rules, and procedures to maximize the strength of their own position, while highlighting and exploiting the weaknesses of the adversary. Educating undergraduate, graduate, and law students in the adversarial model perpetuates the use of the adversarial model.
One of our central objectives is to create change through promoting restorative justice education in undergraduate, graduate, and law programs, equipping the next generation of criminal justice professionals to bring the restorative justice approach to bear in reforming a broken system.
In our restorative justice education efforts, we are mindful that it is not just what is taught that is important, but also how it is taught. In addition to providing resources to encourage the expansion of restorative justice content in higher education, we also encourage and resource a restorative pedagogical approach to teaching and cultivating a classroom community through using experiential and relational methods such as circle practice.
Professional Certificate Programs & Scholarships
As a part of its mission to expand access to Restorative Justice Education, the National Center on Restorative Justice provides scholarships to professional certificate in restorative justice programs through two of its partner institutions, the University of San Diego and Vermont Law and Graduate School.
Undergraduate Certificate in Restorative Justice
This model for an undergraduate certificate in restorative justice aims to address the increasing demand for restorative justice processes in various fields. It plans to commence with its first cohort in 2025 at Community College of Philadelphia.
This project is a collaboration between Community College of Philadelphia, the University of San Diego, and the National Center on Restorative Justice.
Restorative Justice in Legal Education
The National Center on Restorative Justice regularly hosts events and produces resources dedicated to the advancement of teaching restorative justice practices and philosophy in legal education.
Restorative Pedagogy Network
The Restorative Pedagogy Network is an international group established to support and promote the teaching of restorative justice in tertiary education institutions.
Course Mapping & Evaluation / Restorative Curriculum Development
During fall 2020, the National Center on Restorative Justice held a series of circles with students, faculty, community partners, Advisory Board members, and restorative justice practitioners to reflect on the learning outcomes of the Master of Arts in Restorative Justice (MARJ) Program at Vermont Law and Graduate School.
Contact Us
Interested in reaching out to National Center on Restorative Justice? We can answer your questions about our educational programs, training opportunities, research, events and institutes, or any general questions you have. Get in touch with us today!