Restorative Justice Laws Database

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).

Massachusetts Minnesota Montana North Dakota Hawaii Idaho Washington Arizona California Colorado Nevada New Mexico Oregon Utah Wyoming Arkansas Iowa Kansas Missouri Nebraska Oklahoma South Dakota Louisiana Texas Connecticut New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont Alabama Florida Georgia Mississippi South Carolina Illinois Indiana Kentucky North Carolina Ohio Tennessee Virginia Wisconsin West Virginia Delaware District of Columbia Maryland New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Maine Michigan Alaska

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  • Form of Law

  • Form of Practice

241 results found

Texas - Public School Safety Measures

(C) the prevention, identification, and management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, effective prevention practices and including: (i) providing licensed counselors, social workers, and individuals trained in restorative discipline and restorative justice practices; (ii) providing mental health personnel and support;…

Texas - Restorative Justice Practitioners in School

C) the prevention, identification, and management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, effective prevention practices and including: (i) providing licensed counselors, social workers, chaplains, and individuals trained in restorative discipline and restorative justice practices; (ii) providing mental health personnel and…

Texas - Mediation Definition

(a) Mediation is a forum in which an impartial person, the mediator, facilitates communication between parties to promote reconciliation, settlement, or understanding among them. (b) A mediator may not impose his own judgment on the issues for that of the…

Texas - Fee Payment for Resolution Services

(a) An entity that provides services for the resolution of criminal disputes under this chapter may collect a reasonable fee set by the commissioners court from a person who receives the services, not to exceed $350, except that a fee…

Texas - School Safety Development and Restorative Justice Implementation

(3) school safety and security measures, including: (A) active shooter and emergency response training; (B) prevention and treatment programs relating to addressing adverse childhood experiences; and (C) the prevention, identification, and management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, effective prevention…

Utah - Definition of Restorative Justice in School

(f) “Restorative justice program” means a school-based program or a program used or adopted by a local education agency that is designed: (i) to enhance school safety, reduce school suspensions, and limit referrals to law enforcement agencies and courts; and…

Ohio - Programs for Crime Victims

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.

Oklahoma - Implementation of Restorative Justice for Non-Violent Crimes

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…

Oklahoma - Pilot-Program for Restorative Justice

A. Beginning November 1, 2021, the District Attorneys Council is hereby authorized to develop and administer a five-year restorative justice pilot program that shall utilize citizen-led mediation panels. The purpose of the program shall be to divert offenders from the…