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).
(3) Professional learning opportunities may include, but are not necessarily limited to, coaching and training around supporting effective standards-aligned instruction and other instruction that promotes critical thinking, inclusive practices, social-emotional learning, restorative practices and other alternative behavioral programs, implementing effective…
f)(1) In the event of inappropriate conduct, unexcused absences, or inability to complete expected duties of a commissioner, the commissioner in question is entitled to a facilitated meeting using restorative practices. (2) For purposes of this subdivision, the following definitions…
(d) In carrying out the requirements of subdivisions (b) and (c), the department shall do all of the following: (1) Consider the existing array of program models provided in statute and in practice, including, but not limited to, wraparound services,…
H. Contested Guardianship. (1) Family Group Conferences If there is a contested Guardianship of the Person or a contested Petition for Visitation in a Guardianship matter, the Court may order the parties to participate in mediation or one or more…
(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…
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.
(b) Grant funding shall be provided to not-for-profit organizations wishing to expand programs that they are currently providing in other California state prisons that have demonstrated success and focus on offender responsibility and restorative justice principles or to not-for-profit organizations…
(b) The board shall form an executive steering committee that includes, but is not limited to, a balanced and diverse membership from relevant state and local government entities, community-based treatment and service providers, and the formerly incarcerated community. The committee…
(B) Grants shall be awarded to fund programs that provide insight-oriented restorative justice and offender accountability programs that can demonstrate that the approach has produced, or will produce, positive outcomes in department facilities, including, but not limited to: (i) Increasing…
(b) The court presiding over a criminal matter shall consider alternatives to incarceration, including, without limitation, collaborative justice court programs, diversion, restorative justice, and probation.