The traditional approach taken by hundreds of U.S. schools over the past 20 years tends to focus on punishing harmful behavior, usually through exclusionary practices such as suspensions (both in-school and out-of-school) or expulsion.

Studies of the impact of such exclusionary methods has revealed startling disparities along lines of race, gender, and disability status – what is often called the “discipline gap.”

According to a 2014 report by the U.S. Department of Justice, African American or Hispanic students are already more likely to be disciplined than their white peers: black students are three times more likely to be suspended and expelled than white students, and over 50 percent of students referred by schools to law enforcement are African American or Hispanic.

Restorative Justice Conferencing (RJC), is a restorative practice that can be utilized by the criminal legal system.

RJC in the United States is based on the courageous Maori tribe from New Zealand in the 1980s. The “Western” model of punishment disproportionately punished and incarcerated Maori people.

The Maori people, frustrated by the loss of their people and culture, introduced their restorative circle practices into the New Zealand legal system. Now referred to as Family Conferencing, the idea is beginning to take root throughout the United States.

RJC involves facilitating a consensual agreement-making process between the harmed and one who has caused harm. Restorative conferencing would allow select juvenile cases to be diverted from the juvenile justice system, allowing healing and a mutually-agreed resolution before trial. This keeps youth in their communities, accountable, and healthy. 
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Georgia Conflict Center will both train and pay our community members to conduct these conferences with juveniles, their families, and those harmed.