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).
(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…
(1)(a) At the juvenile’s first appearance before the court, after the detention hearing or at the first appearance if the juvenile appears on a summons, the court shall advise the juvenile and the juvenile’s parents, guardian, or other legal custodian…
(1) It is the intent of the general assembly that the program established pursuant to this section benefit the state by providing a structured program combining residential and community reintegration components under which certain adjudicated juveniles are subject to an…
(II) In sentencing a person who violates this section, the court has discretion to impose alternatives in sentencing as described in part 1 of article 1.3 of this title 18, including but not limited to restorative justice practices, as defined…
(f) In addition to the actions authorized by subdivision (e), the juvenile court may, as appropriate, direct the offender to complete a victim impact class, participate in victim offender conferencing subject to the victim’s consent, pay restitution to the victim…
(c) A victim shall be notified of the availability of community-based restorative justice programs and processes available to them, including, but not limited to, programs serving their community, county, county jails, juvenile detention facilities, and the Department of Corrections and…
(a) The department shall establish and maintain a Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) program. (b) The goal of the program is to provide opportunities for restorative justice processes between victims, survivors, and next of kin of victims of crime and people…
(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…
(2) A requirement that the school first attempt to resolve the conflict before transferring a pupil, including, but not limited to, using restorative justice, counseling, or other services.
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.