The National Center on Restorative Justice’s Restorative Justice Laws Database was created as a resource for restorative justice advocates, practitioners, and researchers as well as policy-makers across the United States. Our aim is to organize and display in an easily navigated format the ways in which states have codified the use of restorative justice approaches.
Thank you to Shannon Sliva (University of Denver) and Thalia González (UC Law San Francisco) for their advisement and expertise throughout the process of creating this database. Thank you to Karen Sheu and Anna VanRoy for their data collection work.
This Restorative Justice Laws Database builds on an earlier legislative directory created in 2014 by Shannon Sliva in partnership with Carolyn Lambert (Georgia State University College of Law) and hosted by the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work from 2019 to 2024.
The laws included in this database were identified by conducting a search in Westlaw and LexisNexis using the terms visible under “Form of Practice” in the database search options below. Only laws that feature one or more of these terms are included in the database. Use of the terms in the text of the law does not necessarily mean that restorative justice practice is occurring in the given jurisdiction.
The NCORJ is committed to continuing to update this database. If you see something that is missing or a correction is required, please be in touch. For more information about the development of the database, to get assistance navigating it, or to request a copy of the raw data for research purposes, please contact Lindsey Pointer (lpointer@vermontlaw.edu).
Not later than October 1, 2022, the Department of Education shall develop student social-emotional learning standards for grades four to twelve, inclusive. Such standards shall be designed for a multitiered system of support that is culturally relevant and responsive, emphasizes…
For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall provide resources and training regarding social and emotional learning, school climate and culture and evidence and research-based interventions, including,…
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such teachers, administrators and…
(a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2023, and each school year thereafter, each paraeducator employed by a local or regional board of education shall participate in a program of professional development. Each local and regional board of education…
Not later than January 1, 2022, the Social Emotional Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative, established pursuant to section 10-222q, shall convene a working group to (1) review sections 10-222d to 10-222p, inclusive, relating to bullying and safe school climate…
C) Implementing restorative practices, restorative justice models, or other programs to improve retention rates, reduce suspensions and other school removals, and reduce the referral of pupils to law enforcement agencies.
(b) The guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (a) are encouraged to include both of the following: (1) Primary strategies to create and maintain a positive school climate, promote school safety, and increase pupil achievement, and prioritize mental health and intervention…
f)(1) In the event of inappropriate conduct, unexcused absences, or inability to complete expected duties of a commissioner, the commissioner in question is entitled to a facilitated meeting using restorative practices. (2) For purposes of this subdivision, the following definitions…
(3) Professional learning opportunities may include, but are not necessarily limited to, coaching and training around supporting effective standards-aligned instruction and other instruction that promotes critical thinking, inclusive practices, social-emotional learning, restorative practices and other alternative behavioral programs, implementing effective…
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that school counselors do all of the following: […] (1) Engage with, advocate for, and provide both of the following services for all pupils: […] (5) Promote and maintain a safe learning…