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Restorative Response: Shifting Into Healing From Harm
Citizens' ‘Restorative Response’ Program is supported by the Department of Justice Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative to disrupt cycles of violence among our youth, establish reparative relationships, and deliver services that save lives, address trauma and improve conditions that drive risk for violence.
The Conventional Discipline Model
Conventional means of addressing conflict in schools rely heavily on the use of exclusionary discipline—such as suspensions and expulsions—to deter students from misbehavior and hold them accountable to harmful actions. Research indicates that, while often implemented with good intention, exclusionary discipline increases (rather than deters) misbehavior and risks of dropout and juvenile and adult incarceration. Moreover, exclusionary discipline exerts secondary harms among peers and the wider school community, negatively impacting school climate.
Restorative Practice: Safe Schools, Thriving Students
Connecting students to a pathway focused on restorative practices, including proactive practices to inculcate conflict resolution skills and strengthen community bonds and responsive practices to resolve conflicts and repair relationships address root causes of student conflict- providing meaningful action-connected resolution at both the individual and school levels.
Menu of Services
Community Building Circles
A preventative approach for a group setting to address issues at risk of escalating to an incident of harm.
Student: Student Mediation
Prevention or early intervention between two youth where conflict or risk of violence is perceived.
Staff: Student Mediation
Prevention or early intervention between a staff and youth where conflict or risk of violence is perceived.
Peacebuilding Circles
A restorative response to rebuild relationships after a harm has impacted more than two parties, a classroom, or a school community.
Reinstatement Circles
A restorative response for reentry into the school community following a period of suspension or expulsion designed to achieve safe reinstatement circumventing risk of subsequent conflict.
Restorative Response Referral Packet