The Restorative Justice DeCal

About the Restorative Justice DeCal

This class will broadly explore what restorative justice means, including its origins, its ties to the criminal justice system, and how matrices of domination have shaped all forms of life. We will also consider ways to think and act beyond these systems. 

Students in the DeCal will develop their own intentional community through weekly circle practice, and through that community, engage in a series of issues related to community building and its inverse — alienation — at UC Berkeley and in the larger society.

During the DeCal, readings from Howard Zehr, Fania Davis, and other Restorative Justice Practitioners will provide students with a more developed understanding of the principles, practices, and applications of RJ. 

Restorative justice is rooted in Indigenous practices, which were introduced to non-native people as a way to prevent mass incarceration and family separation.

The Indigenous Roots and Practices of Restorative Justice

Today, restorative justice is widely used both within Indigenous communities and in broader society to help build community, resolve conflict, and support individuals involved in or outside of the criminal justice system. We acknowledge that Indigenous cultures and practices have been both honored and appropriated, and we strive to honor them while addressing and repairing instances of appropriation. We also recognize that the first harm stems from the theft of land, genocide, and the long-term impacts of settler-colonialism, which shape how we navigate life and conceptualize the world. Part of the work in this course is to address settler-colonialism and its effects, as well as to reflect on our role in addressing and repairing this foundational harm.