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).
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that school counselors do all of the following: […] (1) Engage with, advocate for, and provide both of the following services for all pupils: […] (5) Promote and maintain a safe learning…
(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…
(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…
(2) A requirement that the school first attempt to resolve the conflict before transferring a pupil, including, but not limited to, using restorative justice, counseling, or other services.
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.
(h) School counselor residency grant recipients shall do all of the following: […] (2) Ensure that candidates are provided instruction in all of the following: […] (E) Promoting and maintaining a safe learning environment for all pupils by supporting the…
(e)(1)(A) Of the total amount appropriated under subdivision (b), the Superintendent shall award one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in competitive grants to local educational agencies to increase the number of highly-qualified teachers available to serve California state preschool programs and…
(a) On or before June 1, 2024, the department shall develop evidence-based best practices for restorative justice practice implementation on a school campus and make these best practices available on the department’s internet website for use by local educational agencies…
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that, as part of a restorative justice framework, a school use alternatives to a referral of a pupil to a law enforcement agency in response to an incident involving the pupil’s misuse…