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).
(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…
(1) Victim impact panels may be conducted in person or by use of filmed versions approved by the Division. (2) Providers shall ensure that victim impact panels are available in English, Spanish and other languages as needed. (3) Providers shall…
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.
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…
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…
The Psychiatric Security Review Board may develop a restorative justice program to assist the recovery of crime victims when a person is found guilty except for insanity of a crime or responsible except for insanity for an act.
(2) A restorative justice communication is not confidential if: (a) A restorative justice program staff member or facilitator reasonably believes that disclosing the communication is necessary to prevent the commission of a crime that is likely to result in death…
The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that: (1) Restorative justice programs can promote justice and healing for crime victims and survivors. (2) A facilitated dialogue is most successful when it is conducted in a manner that fosters the participants’ maximum…
(1) “Offender” means a person who has engaged in the commission of a crime. (2) “Participant” means a person who is a crime victim, survivor or offender. (3) “Restorative justice communication” means: (a) All communications, written and oral that are…
The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that: (1) Restorative justice programs, including facilitated dialogues and responsibility letter banks, can promote justice and healing for crime victims and survivors and can aid adults in custody in the process of rehabilitation; (2)…