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).
(11) The district attorney shall inform a victim of the following: […] (g) The availability of restorative justice practices, as defined in section 18-1-901(3)(o.5), C.R.S., which includes victim-offender conferences;
(2) If the petition is the first juvenile petition filed against the juvenile in any jurisdiction and is initiated in a jurisdiction that has restorative justice practices available, the district attorney or the district attorney’s designee may determine whether the…
(2) The district attorney may agree to one or more of the following, depending upon the circumstances of the individual case: […] (f) To consent to an assessment for suitability for participation in restorative justice practices, including victim-offender conferences.
The division of youth services is authorized to establish a pilot program, when funds become available, in its facilities to facilitate victim-initiated victim-offender conferences whereby a victim of a crime may request a facilitated conference with the juvenile who committed…
The department is authorized to establish a pilot program, when funds become available, in its correctional facilities to facilitate victim-initiated victim-offender conferences whereby a victim of a crime may request a facilitated conference with the offender who committed the crime,…
(2) Upon the entry of a plea of guilty to one or more of the allegations contained in the petition, the court shall advise the juvenile in accordance with rule 3 of the Colorado rules of juvenile procedure. The advisement…
(2)(a) When granting probation, the court may, as a condition of probation, require that the defendant: […] (III.5) Participate in restorative justice practices, as defined in section 18-1-901(3)(o.5), if available in the jurisdiction, and the defendant is determined suitable by…
(2) The purpose of this article is to encourage the establishment of programs to provide for restitution to and restoration of victims of crime by offenders who are sentenced, or who have been released on parole, or who are being…
(4) Prior to sentencing a juvenile who was adjudicated for an offense that would be a felony or misdemeanor not contained in title 42 if committed by an adult, the court may order the juvenile to participate in an assessment…
(1) The general assembly hereby finds that: […] (d) Restorative justice, which requires the offender to accept responsibility and accountability for his or her actions, teaches conflict resolution, repairs the harm from the offense, reduces classroom disruptions, suspensions, expulsions, and…