RESOURCES
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
Restorative Justice
Restorative Questions
HISTORY OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES
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“First Nation”/Indigenous Peoples, using the circle/community to resolve conflict and address harm
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1970’s: Mennonite and others, experiment with victim offender encounters, USA and Canada
One of the earliest examples of restorative justice in the modern system can be traced to the establishment of the first official victim-offender mediation program in Kitchener, Ontario in 1977. This program, which was established by Mark Yantzi and Howard Zehr, aimed to bring together victims and offenders in a mediated dialogue with the goal of repairing harm caused by the offense.
1980’s: In the 1980s, the restorative justice movement gained further momentum with the emergence of the “Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program” (VORP) in the United States. This program, which was based on the principles of restorative justice, was developed in response to growing concerns about the high rates of recidivism and the limited effectiveness of traditional punitive approaches to justice.
1989: New Zealand Children, Youth and Families Act, Family Group Conferencing
1991: Terry O’Connel, develops script and applies to community policing, Australia
1990’s Queensland Dept of Ed in Australia looking for whole school approach to bullying
Late 1990’s: Ted Wachtel collaborates with Terry O’Connel to create Real Justice and Restorative Practices, USA
1994: Margaret Thorsborne, first conference in a school, Australia
1998-2000: Minnesota dept of children and families and learning began to work with schools to reduce suspensions/expulsions through restorative measures
1999: SaferSaner Schools established in Pennsylvania, became the International Institute of Restorative Practices, graduate program accredited in 2007
2000: Criticism of zero-tolerance policies grows.
2005-2007: RJOY-Restorative Justice Oakland Use, being used throughout Oakland School System.
2014: US Dept. of justice and US Dept of Education recommends use of RJ
TIMELINE OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES:
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1754 BCE: The Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest known law codes, contained provisions for compensation to be paid to victims of harm or their families.
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5th century BCE: In ancient Greece, disputes between individuals were often resolved through a process of mediation in which a neutral third party facilitated a dialogue between the parties involved.
4th century BCE: Similarly, in ancient Rome, the concept of “restitutio in integrum” allowed victims of harm to seek compensation for their losses and to have the harm repaired.
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5th to 15th century CE: In medieval Europe, disputes between individuals were often resolved through a system of “compurgation” or “oath-helping,” in which the accused person would bring together a group of people to swear an oath of innocence.
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17th century CE: The Quakers in colonial America practiced a form of restorative justice by resolving disputes among members of their community through mediation and group decision-making.
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1970s CE: Modern restorative justice practices began to emerge in Canada, with pioneers like Mark Yantzi developing victim-offender mediation programs.
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1980s CE: Restorative justice programs began to be established in other countries, including New Zealand and Australia. These programs were often focused on reducing recidivism rates and providing more meaningful forms of justice for victims.