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).
(2) The district attorney may agree to one or more of the following, depending upon the circumstances of the individual case: […] (f) To consent to an assessment for suitability for participation in restorative justice practices, including victim-offender conferences.
(1.9) Each presentence report must also: […] (b.5) Indicate whether the offender meets the minimum eligibility requirements as provided in sections 18-1.3-104(1)(b.5) and 18-1.3-204(2)(a)(III.5) for participation in restorative justice practices;
(c) If a district attorney is considering filing any criminal charges as a result of a production of records issued pursuant to subsection (4)(a) of this section, the district attorney shall first consider referring the alleged responsible person for an…
(1)(a) A council to provide assistance and education related to restorative justice programs is hereby established. The council shall be known as the “restorative justice coordinating council” and shall be established in the state judicial department within the office of…
(1) This code shall be construed in such manner as to promote maximum fulfillment of its general purposes, namely: […] (e) To promote acceptance of responsibility and accountability by offenders and to provide restoration and healing for victims and the…
(1) In order to preserve and protect a victim’s rights to justice and due process, each victim of a crime has the following rights: […] (l.5) The right to be informed about the possibility of restorative justice practices, as defined…
(11) The district attorney shall inform a victim of the following: […] (g) The availability of restorative justice practices, as defined in section 18-1-901(3)(o.5), C.R.S., which includes victim-offender conferences;
(8) Diversion programs may include, but are not limited to, programs operated by law enforcement upon agreement with a district attorney, district attorney internally operated programs, programs operated by other approved agencies, restorative justice programs, or supervision by the probation…
(1)(a) Each person who is convicted of a crime is required to pay a ten-dollar surcharge to the clerk of the court for the judicial district in which the conviction occurs. (b) The surcharge described in this section does not…
(4.9)(a) On August 1, 2021, and on August 1 of each year thereafter, the state treasurer shall make the following transfers from the fund: (I) Thirteen thousand dollars to the restorative justice surcharge fund established in section 18-25-101;