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).
An Act relating to criminal procedure; amending 22 O.S. 2011, Section 305.2, which relates to deferred prosecution programs; authorizing district attorneys to create restorative justice programs for certain nonviolent offenders; authorizing the District Attorneys Council to develop and administer a…
There is hereby created until July 1, 2010, the “Transformational Justice Interagency Task Force”. The Transformational Justice Interagency Task Force shall be composed of the following members:
District attorneys shall be authorized to create restorative justice programs for nonviolent offenders who qualify for a deferred prosecution agreement pursuant to the provisions contained in Sections 305.1 through 305.6 of this title and Section 2 of this act.
THE POLICY SHALL ESTABLISH ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES, INCLUDING PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, PEER MEDIATION, AND COUNSELING, TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING:
If a child is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult and if the child caused, attempted to cause, threatened to cause, or created a risk of physical harm…
The use of any restraints, such as handcuffs, chains, shackles, irons, or straitjackets, is highly discouraged. The routine use of restraints on juveniles is a practice contrary to the philosophy of balanced and restorative justice and undermines the goals of…
Victim and offender mediation services” means services designed to provide victims the opportunity for a meeting to ask questions, express feelings, or discuss restitution agreements with the convicted offenders or delinquent juveniles involved in the crimes against such victims.
Completion of a restorative justice program. For purposes of this section, “restorative justice program” means a system of justice which focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.
“Restorative justice” means a system of justice which focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.
(3) Order the juvenile to cooperate with a community-based program, an intensive substance abuse treatment program, or a residential or nonresidential treatment program. Participation in the programs shall not exceed 12 months.