Defining Restorative Practices
Restorative Justice is a term first utilized by Albert Eglash beginning in the 1950s. Practices such as circles, conferencing, and mediation pre-date the term and have evolved from various indigenous communities throughout the world.
Restorative Practices are deliberate actions and the processes we use to apply restorative justice theory and principles. The International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) considers restorative practices a social science and restorative justice a subset of restorative practices (Wachtel, 2016). Most of the staff from the Center for Student Conduct have been certified by IIRP to engage students with a deliberate commitment to restorative practices.
Restorative Approaches constitute the "big umbrella" for this work—the theory and principles as well as the processes and practices used in application. Some examples of restorative approaches may include (but are not limited to):
- Circles – Circles are used or many reasons such as building community and addressing conflict. A circle facilitator will guide the process. A circle is an opportunity for students to gather and address conflict. Specifically, if one or more individuals were negatively impacted by actions of another individual, a circle is an opportunity to address the harm done. All parties have an opportunity to talk about what happened, the impact of another's actions, and what each participant experienced.
- Mediation – Students involved in a conflict will work together with a mediator from the Center for Student Conduct to achieve a mutually agreed upon outcome.
- Facilitated Dialogue – Facilitated dialogue is less formal than mediation and focuses more on the process of engaging in productive conversation with others. A facilitated dialogue is less focused on the outcome.
- – A coaching session will aim to help students further understand their own conflict style while exploring new ways to engage in challenging situations/conversations.
A deliberate restorative approach assists us as we address the impact of our words and actions and can strengthen communities and enhance relationships. If you have specific questions about our use of restorative practices, please reach out. We look forward to talking with you about possible ways to engage restoratively with your peers.