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).
The secretary of corrections may make grants to counties for the development, implementation, operation and improvement of juvenile community correctional services including, but not limited to, restitution programs; victim services programs; balanced and restorative justice programs; preventive or diversionary correctional…
The dual status assessment team shall consider the child’s best interests and well-being, including: […] (13) restorative justice practices that may be appropriate;
The guidelines developed under section 3 of this chapter must incorporate methods that assist individuals in developing competency in employing approaches to create positive classroom and school climates that are culturally responsive, which may include: (1) classroom management strategies; (2)…
A prosecuting attorney or a victim assistance program shall do the following: […] (9) In a county having a victim-offender reconciliation program (VORP), provide an opportunity for a victim, if the accused person or the offender agrees, to: (A) meet…
(a) If a victim participates in a victim-offender reconciliation program (VORP) operated by a victim assistance program under section 4(9) of this chapter, the victim shall execute a waiver releasing: (1) the prosecuting attorney responsible for the victim assistance program;…
Juvenile diversion may include restorative justice services.
(a) The purpose of the juvenile diversion grant program is as follows: (1) Prevent further involvement of the child in the formal legal system. (2) Provide eligible children with alternatives to adjudication that require the least amount of supervision and…
As used in this chapter, “community corrections program” means a community based program that provides preventive services, services to criminal or juvenile offenders, services to persons charged with a crime or an act of delinquency, services to persons diverted from…
(b) As used in this chapter, “restorative justice services” means services focused on repairing the harm caused to victims and the community as a result of a child’s behavior.
“Restorative justice services” has the meaning set forth in IC 31-37-8.5-1.