restorative-justice

Restorative justice addresses harm through circle-based processes where participants name harm, witness impact, and plan concrete repair. It provides a framework prioritizing accountability, repair, and the safety of harmed members without relying on punishment.

To facilitate a restorative circle, identify the harmed party, harm-doer, and trusted participants, then convene to name the harm, set ground rules, and agree on concrete repair commitments. Trauma-informed facilitation respects nervous system responses and safety.

Restorative justice suits situations where accountability is needed and the harmed person seeks safety. It includes clear roles, ground rules, and monitoring to sustain repair over time, with public or private repair options depending on safety and consent.

Restorative justice differs from traditional punitive conflict resolution by focusing on accountable harm repair and community trust restoration without punishment. It uses structured circle processes to center the safety of harmed members and concrete repair commitments.

Restorative justice circles may not be appropriate when harm is unclear, the relationship is irrelevant, or the harmed person does not seek meaningful repair. It requires clear naming of harm, accountability, and consent for public or private repair options.