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).
Mediators and restorative justice facilitators of approved centers shall have completed at least thirty hours of basic mediation training, including conflict resolution techniques, neutrality, agreement writing, and ethics. An initial apprenticeship with an experienced mediator shall be required for at…
In any juvenile case, the court may provide the parties the opportunity to address issues involving the child’s care and placement, services to the family, and other concerns through restorative justice practices. Restorative justice practices may include, but are not…
(1) There is an account in the state special revenue fund established by 17-2-102 to be known as the restorative justice fund. (2) There must be deposited in the account: (a) money received from legislative allocations; (b) a transfer of…
The legislature recognizes that incarcerating offenders carries an extremely high cost and may not be the most effective strategy for restoring victims, reforming offenders, and reducing recidivism. It is the intent of 44-7-302 to have the board of crime control…
(b) programs and training for school employees, students, parents, and community members approved by the trustees to support school and student safety and security, including but not limited to active shooter training, threat assessment practices pursuant to 20-1-401(3)(b), and restorative…
Sentencing practices should promote and support practices, policies, and programs that focus on restorative justice principles.
participation in a restorative justice program approved by court order and payment of a participation fee of up to $150 for program expenses if the program agrees to accept the offender;
(1) The purposes of the restorative justice grant programs are to: (a) promote the use of restorative justice practices throughout the state; and (b) provide technical assistance to local and state jurisdictions and organizations interested in implementing the principles of…
the Committee found that these programs have proven successful in significantly reducing incarceration rates and the risk that offenders will reoffend;
2. The program shall be designed to implement and operate community-based restorative justice projects including, but not limited to: preventive or diversionary programs, community-based intensive probation and parole services, community-based treatment centers, day reporting centers, and the operation of facilities…