Schools

Restorative practices are used to address disciplinary and other matters in schools with students at every age level. These resources are related to the implementation of restorative practices in the school environment.

Restorative Justice in Schools

Please consider "Discipline That Restores" as another resource and testimony to RJ working in schools. Ron and Roxanne Claasson offer a proven approach to shaping [...]

Implementing restorative justice: A guide for schools

Recently, the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority released the guide Implementing Restorative Justice: A guide for Schools as part of a series of resources created to help with the statewide implementation of restorative justice for working with young offenders.

Ttofi, Maria M. and Farrington, David P. School-based programs to reduce bullying and victimization.

This report presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of programs designed to reduce school bullying perpetration and victimization (i.e. being bullied). The authors indicate the pitfalls of previous reviews and explain in detail how the present systematic review and meta-analysis addresses the gaps in the existing literature on bullying prevention. (excerpt)

Stern, Fred. Peer mediation in secondary school.

This workshop [presentation]provides an overview of peer mediation in secondary schools where the presenter has worked with teachers/students in this program since 1990. What’s worked, what hasn’t? How are other schools using this program?

Reintroduction of the Restorative Justice in Schools Act

from Tom Cavanagh's blog: Become an supporter of the Restorative Justice in Schools Act. Below is the letter Congressman Steve Cohen sent to his colleagues asking for support for the bill. Dear Colleague, We encourage you to cosponsor legislation that promotes providing school personnel (teachers and counselors) with essential training that has the potential to reduce youth incarceration.

Isaac, Christian W. . Restorative justice in schools: An examination of peace circles within Monroe High School.

Literature suggests that restorative justice programs can have improved outcomes when examining recidivism rates and satisfaction levels of both victim and offender in many instances compared to traditional approaches. Partners in Restorative Initiatives implemented peace circles and community conferencing, both restorative justice programs, within James Monroe High School in Rochester, NY. The practice of peace circles within Monroe High School was explored in comparison to theory and current national and international uses of peace circles. This paper discussed the restorative justice approach of using peace circles within James Monroe High School in Rochester, NY and how it affected perceptions of safety, respect, violence, and communication amongst teachers and students. Through survey analysis, personal observation, and interviews, this paper examined if the use of peace circles improved school environment, enhanced relationships between students and teachers, and was an effective approach to discuss issues of delinquency without relying strictly on punishment. (author's abstract)

Sumner, Michael D. and Frampton, Mary Louise and Silverman, Carol J. . School-based restorative justice as an alternative to zero-tolerance policies: Lessons from West Oakland.

In this report we examine a pilot restorative justice program at a school that primarily served students of color from low-income families. We document the implementation of the program at Cole Middle School in West Oakland, California, and the observations and perceptions of those who participated in it. We also draw lessons from Cole’s experiences that we hope will be helpful to those interested in implementing school-based restorative justice. (excerpt)

Edgar, Kimmett and Bowen, Gillian and Thurlow, Jane and Bitel, Mark. The evaluation of the Lambeth Restorative Justice Conference Pilot Project in Schools.

In May 2000, the Youth Justice Board in England initiated a plan to test, in two schools in Lambeth, restorative justice approaches in response to robbery and bullying in school settings. This was part of the Board’s overall exploration of interventions that might reduce youth crime. The project was devised in partnership with the Metropolitan Police in Lambeth. To evaluate the project, the Youth Justice Board engaged Partners in Evaluation and the Oxford Centre for Criminological Research. The evaluation, reported in this document, reviewed a number of key areas: levels of victimization, bullying, and robbery in the two schools; means for introducing restorative justice approaches in the schools; satisfaction of participants (victims and offenders) in the schools’ restorative justice conferences; short-term and long-term effects of the conferences on participants; and the larger effects of conferences, if any, on the nature and frequency of acts of victimization in the two schools. This paper presents research findings and analysis in these key areas, as well as a number of recommendations to enhance the use of restorative justice conferences in school settings. Additionally, several appendices provide further information on the study methodology, data-gathering, and research instruments.

Domino, Meg. The Impact of Take the LEAD on School Bullying Among Middle School Youth.

Bullying is the leading form of school violence. Meta-analysis of traditional anti bullying efforts have shown mixed results, averaging small reductions in bullying behavior. Extant research supports the evaluation of alternative approaches to school bullying grounded in theories applied to related youth risk behaviors. The impact of an alternative approach to bullying using a pretest-posttest control group cohort evaluation of 323 middle school students involved in the 16-session Take the LEAD social-emotional learning program was examined. Based on social-emotional learning and positive youth development theories, Take the LEAD employs an interactive, asset-based approach to target the social competencies of all students in the classroom. Six hypotheses were generated and tested using paired t-test, ANOVA, and ANCOVA to measure self-reported changes in 3 study variables: bullying, victimization, and prosocial behavior. Results indicated significant reductions in bullying and victimization, together with significant increases in prosocial behaviors, including helping, sharing, feeling empathy, and caring for others. Findings remained significant for all 3 study variables after controlling for gender. Results of this study contribute to positive social change by providing empirical support for the application of an original social-emotional learning alternative to reduce bullying and victimization, while simultaneously increasing prosocial behaviors. Educators, psychologists, public health professionals, and clinicians can use these results to expand existing bullying reduction efforts, assist children and families dealing with bullying and victimization, and broaden the scope and breadth of available alternatives for addressing this growing public health problem. (Excerpt).

Pranis, Kay. Restorative practices show promise in Minnesota schools. On-the-Map: Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Kay Pranis asserts that the use of restorative justice principles and practices shows promise in reducing behavioral referrals to the school office and suspensions. She also claims the use of restorative justice improves teacher satisfaction. In making these statements, she is drawing from findings detailed in "In-school Behavior Intervention Grants," a report evaluating the use of restorative measures by four Minnesota school districts at the elementary and secondary levels. As background, Pranis notes that Minnesota embarked in 1998 on an initiative to apply and evaluate alternative approaches to suspensions and expulsions from school, with those alternative approaches being based in restorative principles and practices. Pranis summarizes the findings of the evaluation as measured in key areas: suspensions, expulsions, attendance, academics, and school climate.

Ivker, Carin and Ierley, Alice. Restoring School Communities ~ Restorative Justice in Schools Program: Spring 2002 Report Card .

This study focuses on a Restorative Justice in Schools Program in Broomfield and Boulder, Colorado, for the spring of 2002. Twenty-two cases were referred to the program, including incidents of harassment, fighting, theft, vandalism, arson, drugs, and truancy. Of the 20 conferences held, 100 percent reached an agreement on how to repair the harm caused by the particular incident.(excerpt)

Samuels, Fae Ernestine. The Peer Mediation Process in Secondary Schools

The purpose of this study was to investigate the practice and the impact of peer mediation in eight secondary schools. This research is the first to investigate peer mediation in secondary schools. In doing so, it sought to give the peer mediators and other students a "voice." The students explained the peer mediation process, the effects on their personal lives, relationships, school climate and families. The thirty-three participants of the study include eight mediators, two disputants, two non-disputants, six students who refused mediation, seven teachers, one non-teacher and seven administrators. Three students refused to be interviewed. All student participants were eighteen years of age when interviewed. The method employed is qualitative. A personal interview was conducted with each mediator and disputant to investigate what happens during the mediation process, their satisfaction with the process and the impact it is having on them and the school community. Teachers, coordinators of the peer mediation programs and administrators were also interviewed individually to get their perception of the program's impact on the mediators, disputants, other students and the school climate. Data gathered were analysed in four stages. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and the categories and themes were identified and sorted. The findings indicate that peer mediation provides one of the best opportunities for creating peaceful schools. The study is significant because it verifies and brings to the forefront ten issues that are important to the field of peer mediation and conflict resolution. (author's abstract)

Norris, Alexis Nicole. An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Restorative Justice on School Success and Disciplinary Incidents

This study examines whether a restorative justice (RJ) intervention compared to the traditional school discipline process, improves the commitment and attachment to school for middle school students, leading to an increase in academic achievement and a decrease in antisocial behavior. (author's abstract)

Groothues, Christine. Improving School Climate: Findings from Schools implementing Restorative Practices.

Inspired by the failure of authoritarian responses to falling academic standards and increasing violence in schools the International Institute for Restorative Practices developed an alternative approach.The core principle of this new approach is "to strike at the heart of the culture" of the school, by using restorative practices to foster dialogue among students and between pupils and staff. The IIRP is committed to providing ongoing data about how restorative practices are being implemented. Here data from a range of programmes are reported from schools and school districts in the US, Canada, and the UK to provide a snapshot of findings related to restorative practices. (excerpt)

Metz, Heather. Restorative Justice and Educating for Peace

An ethnographic case study of a classroom for children with behavioral disorders was conducted in order to explore the question: in what ways does restorative justice empower students to respect each other's physical and emotional well-being? Results demonstrate that when restorative justice frames the response when harm is done, students learn to repair relationships. (author's abstract)

Ashworth, Jane Ann. A case study of comprehensive schoolwide improvement at a high needs elementary school.

A qualitative case study method was used to examine one elementary Title 1 school's experiences in implementing a continuous, comprehensive school improvement plan over a five year period from 2003-2008. This is a high needs school with over 80% of the families living in poverty. The researcher conducted 14 on-site interviews including the principal, faculty, and staff from the school to assist in determining the most important school wide improvement strategies from the faculty's perceptions at the case site. The Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Human Resources of the case site school district was also interviewed in regards to the school leadership and collaboration at the case site. The researcher also made several site visits, observed different team sessions and collected several cultural documents. The strategies followed in implementing a comprehensive school improvement plan at the case site included: Value Added teacher training and collaboration, implementing the Circle of Courage frame work, the Restorative Justice Center, ELL home liaison, extended school day focused specifically on vocabulary instruction, Bright Future's Health Literacy Center, school leadership and teams, and professional learning communities. The student achievement gradually improved over the five year process of school wide comprehensive improvement. (author's abstract)

Payne, Allison Ann and Welch, Kelly. Modeling the effects of racial threat on punitive and restorative school discipline practices.

It is clear that schools are mirroring the criminal justice system by becoming harsher toward student misbehavior despite decreases in delinquency. Moreover, Black students consistently are disciplined more frequently and more severely than others for the same behaviors, much in the same way that Black criminals are subjected to harsher criminal punishments than other offenders. Research has found that the racial composition of schools is partially responsible for harsher school discipline just as the racial composition of areas has been associated with punitive criminal justice measures. Yet, no research has explored comprehensively the dynamics involved in how racial threat and other factors influence discipline policies that ultimately punish Black students disproportionately. In this study (N = 294 public schools), structural equation models assess how school racial composition affects school disciplinary policies in light of other influences on discipline and gauge how other possible predictors of school disciplinary policies relate to racial composition of schools, to various school disciplinary policies, and to one another. Findings indicate that schools responding to student misbehavior with one type of discipline tend to use other types of responses as well and that many factors predict the type of disciplinary response used by schools. However, disadvantaged, urban schools with a greater Black, poor, and Hispanic student population are more likely to respond to misbehavior in a punitive manner and less likely to respond in a restorative manner.(author's abstract)

Dalhousie offers restorative justice option for students

from the article on updatednews.ca: Dalhousie University students who end up in trouble with the law now have a way to try to right the wrong without having to go to court. The University, police and the province’s Justice Department have set up a restorative justice program just for students of the school. It’s the first program of its kind for university students in Canada.

Sharp fall in number of violent pupils expelled or suspended in Glasgow

Lloyd, Gwynedd and Weedon, Elisabet and Stead, Joan and Riddell, Sheila and McCluskey, Gillean and Kane, Jean. Restorative Approaches in Scottish Schools: Transformations and Challenges.

This presentation will give some findings from our evaluation of a pilot project funded by the government in Scotland. I will mainly talk in my presentation about some of the important themes, issues and challenges that have emerged from the project. If conference participants wish to know more, they can attend a workshop with two university colleagues and two staff from Scottish schools, one elementary and one high school, offering some real, detailed stories from their schools. My intention is to inform, stimulate and perhaps provoke you with some ideas and to tell (and show you) a little about Scotland. (excerpt)