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).
(6) The legislature encourages a board or board of directors to include all of the following in the policy required under this section: […] (d) Provisions for considering the use of restorative practices in the correction of bullying behavior, as…
(1) Before suspending or expelling a pupil under section 1310, 1311(1), 1311(2), or 1311a,1 the board of a school district or intermediate school district or board of directors of a public school academy, or a superintendent, school principal, or other…
C. The purposes of this Section shall be to assist in the provision of appropriate preventive, diversionary, and dispositional alternatives for juveniles, encourage coordination of the elements of the juvenile services system, and provide an opportunity for local involvement in…
(c) Each proposal received by the state board shall be carefully reviewed and shall be approved only after there has been a specific determination by the board that the proposed school will be operated in compliance with all applicable state…
B. Each proposed charter shall contain or make provision for the following: (14) School rules and regulations applicable to pupils including disciplinary policies and procedures that incorporate research-based discipline programs, such as positive behavioral interventions and supports and restorative justice…
(iii) A student in kindergarten through grade five removed from a class pursuant to this Subparagraph shall not be permitted to return to the class for at least thirty minutes unless agreed to by the teacher initiating the disciplinary action.…
D. (1) The school master plans required of city, parish, and other local public school boards by this Section shall make provision for pre-service and ongoing grade appropriate classroom management training for teachers, principals, and other appropriate school personnel regarding…
3. Services to schools. The center is responsible for providing the following services to schools in the State: […] H. Restorative justice assistance and assistance regarding alternatives to traditional discipline
4. Technical assistance. The department shall, using existing resources, provide technical assistance to covered entities by developing, implementing and providing technical assistance to support evidence-based programs that reduce the likelihood of physical restraint or seclusion, and support students in reducing…
2. Report of incident of dangerous behavior. Upon receipt of a report made by a teacher or school staff person of an incident of dangerous behavior, a school administrative unit shall review the reported incident and develop an individualized response…