Restorative justice presents a “paradigm shift” away from existing forms of justice based on punitive measures such as incarceration and towards community-based measures that address harm for the individual(s) harmed, the individual(s) who did the harm, and the larger community. To read more about the basic tenets of restorative justice, please flip through the slides.
Indigenous Roots and Community Building
Restorative Justice originates from indigenous practices from all over the world. These practices emphasize the importance of community building in creating strong foundational relationships.
RJ and Racial Justice
Restorative Justice practices and practitioners must acknowledge the racially unjust criminal legal system and its impacts on marginalized communities and work to structurally transform these systems.
Punitive vs Restorative Practices on Campus
Throughout the UC Berkeley campus, practices of punitive justice are widely used in areas of academic and student conduct. However, there have been efforts to shift towards a restorative justice framework to address misconduct.