eForum Articles and Abstracts

Research

Principles and Practices

eForum Articles and Abstracts

IIRP Graduate School Confers its First 14 Master’s Degrees (June 25, 2008)
On June 21, 2008, the International Institute for Restorative Practices Graduate School held its first commencement ceremony, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. Dr. John Braithwaite, a major force in the restorative justice movement, gave the commencement address. This article by Laura Mirsky includes ceremony highlights.

Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy (CSF Buxmont): Analysis of Students Discharged During Three School Years (2003-2006) (June 10, 2008)
The study, in progress since 1999, by the IIRP's Dr. Paul McCold and Ansik Chang, highlights decreases in offending among 3,928 youth discharged from Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy's (CSF Buxmont's) restorative programs over a seven-year period. The latest (third) research effort, conducted 2003-2006, confirms results of the previous two studies, showing a dramatic decline in offending rates, achieved through the systematic use of restorative practices, that diminishes only modestly over time.

New Colorado Law Authorizes Restorative Justice Conferences for Adjudicated Youth (May 21, 2008)
A new Colorado, USA, law gives judges the authority to offer accused young offenders the legal option to voluntarily participate in RJ processes. This article  (part one of two) by Joshua Wachtel includes interviews with the bill's sponsors and authors as well as Colorado youth RJ practitioners.

CSF Buxmont: The Power of Community (April 22, 2008)
When a student at Community Service Foundation/Buxmont Academy (CSF Buxmont) school in Trevose, Pennsylvania, USA (a demonstration program of the IIRP), encountered a grave family crisis, the support he received from his fellow students in the CSF Buxmont community helped him turn a corner and take charge of his life. This article by freelance journalist Brenda Lange includes interviews with students and with CSF Buxmont Trevose coordinator Ed Krajewski.

High School in Singapore Adopts Restorative Practices (March 14, 2008)
Singapore's Ping Yi High School is one of four pilot schools chosen by the Ministry of Education to receive training and begin using restorative practices. This article by Joshua Wachtel includes interviews with teachers and adminstrators.

Australian Radio Program Presents Show on Restorative Justice (February 25, 2008)
The show presents views from criminologists Lawrence Sherman, Kathleen Daly and Chris Cunneen, and CEO of the Centre for Restorative Justice, South Australia, Leigh Garrett.

Research Shows that Social and Emotional Learning Improves Academic Achievement (January 28, 2008)
This article by Laura Mirsky reports on a four-year meta-analysis by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning confirming that school-based social and emotional learning programs that help students build positive relationships, develop empathy, and resolve conflicts respectfully and cooperatively also have a positive effect on academic performance.

Restorative Practices in Australia’s Schools: Strong Relationships and Multi-School Summits Help Schools “Be and Learn” Together (January 14, 2008)
This article by Lynn M. Welden talks about how restorative practices is spreading in schools throughout New South Wales and South Australia, aided by multi-school summits or forums, where staff meet to share their implementation experiences.

Community Service Foundation (CSF) Celebrates its 30th Anniversary (December 21, 2007)
This article by Laura Mirsky includes a history of CSF's programs for youth, as well as the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP), plus interview selections from former CSF students and long-term CSF staff members.

Effective and Humane Youth Policy Starts by Treating Youth with Respect (December 17, 2007)
Rodney Skager, professor emeritus, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, co-director of the California Student Survey sponsored by the Office of the California Attorney General, and consultant to the Drug Policy Alliance, made this presentation at the October 2007 National Conference on Safe Schools in Washington, D.C., on the infantilization of youth as a root cause of oppositional behavior, the criminalization of young people and alternatives to current thinking and practice.

The IIRP's 10th World Conference, Budapest, Hungary (December 10, 2007)
Resztoratív Gyakorlatok Nemzetközi Intézetének budapesti konferenciájáról
This report on the conference, which took place in Budapest, Hungary, on November 7-9, 2007, is by Borbála Fellegi, a Ph.D. Researcher in social policy and criminology at Eötvös Loránd (ELTE) University, Budapest, Hungary, and is available in both English and Hungarian.

Restorative Conferencing in Thailand: A Resounding Success with Juvenile Crime November 30, 2007
The Thais have developed a restorative conferencing model used in many thousands of juvenile justice cases with highly encouraging results. This article by Abbey J. Porter includes an interview with Wanchai Roujanavong, director general of Thailand’s Department of Corrections.

A Restorative Community Circle (November 20, 2007)
When ongoing vandalism by local youth affected Buxmont Academy Trevose and the surrounding neighborhood, school coordinator Ed Krajewski facilitated a restorative talking circle. Buxmont Academy Trevose is one of eight alternative schools operated by the Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy (CSF Buxmont) in Pennsylvania, USA (demonstration programs of the IIRP). This article by Lynn M. Welden talks about how the talking circle helped remedy the situation and includes interviews with Krajewski and circle participants.

Restorative Practices in Workplaces (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Les Davey, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

A Different Way: Supervision at a Day Shelter for Homeless Women in Sweden (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Eva Fahlström Borg, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

Victim-Offender Mediation in Hungary (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Erzsébet Hatvani, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

Face to Face (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Mária Herczog, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

About the Jumpstart Programme of the Zöld kakas líceum (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Mária Kerényi, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

Making Sense of Restorative Practices Research (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Paul McCold, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

The Experience of SOS Children’s Villages Association Hungary (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Gyöngyvér Magyar, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

Big Changes Start with Little Steps (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Vidia Negrea, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

The Origins of Restorative Conferencing (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Terry O'Connell, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

Restorative Practices in a Canadian School Context (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Bruce Schenk, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

Citizens First: FGDM Promotes Citizenship (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Robert van Pagée, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

Restorative Practices: A Vision of Hope (November 7, 2007)
Paper by Ted Wachtel, presented in a plenary session at "Improving Citizenship & Restoring Community," the IIRP's 10th International Institute for Restorative Practices World Conference, November 7-9, 2007, Budapest, Hungary.

The Netherlands’ Eigen Kracht Holds 1000th Family Group Conference (November 2, 2007)
Eigen Kracht, a non-governmental social service agency in Amsterdam, Netherlands, has conducted over 1000 family group conferences (known as family group decision making in the US). This article by Joshua Wachtel contains an interview with Eigen Kracht head Rob van Pagée about the practice and philosophy of the organization and stories about FGCs.

Ted Wachtel Inaugurated as Founding President of IIRP Graduate School (October 25, 2007)
The inauguration ceremony, on Monday, October 8, 2007, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA, was attended by several hundred IIRP, Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy staff, friends, family members and dignitaries. Ted Wachtel's inaugural address and ceremony photos can be viewed in our online library.

A Family Plan Forged Out of Commitment and Love: An FGDM Story (October 10, 2007)
A Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) conference helped an extended family devise a plan for a teenage girl who was having a lot of trouble in her life. This article by Lynn Welden includes interviews with family members, juvenile justice professionals and Community Service Foundation FGDM facilitators, along with an overview of the FGDM process.

Restorative Programs Help Hawaii Inmates Reconnect with Community (September 25, 2007)
Two restorative justice prison initiatives, launched by Lorenn Walker of Hawaii Friends of Civic and Law Related Education, bring inmates together with people they've wronged to repair harm and plan for transition back into the community. The programs also offer inmates restorative justice facilitator training. This article by Abbey J. Porter includes information on the programs and interviews with Walker, project principals, and inmates.

Judge Recommends Restorative Conferencing for Sexual Assault Cases (September 9, 2007)
Justice Marcia Neave, a Supreme Court judge in Victoria, Australia, voiced her support of restorative conferencing in sexual assault cases, in the September 9, 2007 edition of the Australian newspaper "The Age."

American Psychological Association Report Challenges School Zero Tolerance Policies
and Recommends Restorative Justice (September 5, 2007)
A report issued by the American Psychological Association challenges U.S. school zero tolerance policies and recommends restorative justice. This article by Doug Graves and Laura Mirsky provides details from the APA report.

Full Report of Evaluation of Restorative Practices in 3 Scottish Councils (August 31, 2007)
The Scottish Executive (government) released this report, an evaluation of two years of implementation of restorative practices in 18 schools in three local authorities. The report states that restorative practices "can offer a powerful and effective approach to promoting harmonious relationships in school and to the successful resolution of conflict and harm."

Building Family Empowerment: CSF Buxmont's Individual Service Plans (August 17, 2007)
This article by Lynn Welden traces the development of restorative ISPs at Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy programs for struggling youth (demonstration programs for the International Institute for Restorative Practices).

Healing in Our Land: Jamaica Hosts International Conference on Restorative Justice (July 12, 2007)
The government of Jamaica is engaged in a program to promote the use of restorative justice. This article by Joshua Wachtel covers an RJ training and international conference in the island nation, assisted by the IIRP, and includes interviews with people who've been central to the RJ implementation process.

Restorative Practices in Schools: Research Reveals Power of Restorative Approach, Part II (June 6, 2007)
Part II of this two-part article by Abbey J. Porter provides information on several evaluations of restorative practices in schools by educational and governmental groups, as well as interviews with associated researchers, practitioners and educators. Findings include a drop in disciplinary problems, decreased reliance on detention and suspension, and an improvement in student attitudes.

Major Research Report Shows Effectiveness of Restorative Justice (May 16, 2007)
The study, “Restorative Justice: The Evidence,” headed by Dr. Lawrence W. Sherman and Dr. Heather Strang, concludes that restorative justice is as or more effective than traditional methods of criminal justice for reducing crime, and is also more satisfying and beneficial to victims. This article, by Joshua Wachtel, covers the study's principal data and conclusions and includes comments by Dr. Strang and others.

Restorative Practices in Schools: Research Reveals Power of Restorative Approach, Part I (March 21, 2007)
Part I of this two-part article by Abbey J. Porter looks at what educators and school trainers say about the benefits and strategies of successfully implementing restorative methods. Includes interviews with educators from around the world who are implementing restorative practices in schools.

An Eloquent Expression of Restorative Justice (March 21, 2007)
BBC Radio has posted a "Lent Talk" by prominent UK barrister Cherie Booth, QC (Queen's Counsel), about the themes of restorative justice in the story of Zacchaeus. (Booth is married to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.) She also tells several contemporary restorative justice stories. Her talk is an eloquent expression of the essence of restorative justice. Available on the web as text or audio.

Restorative Justice with Adult Offenders in New Zealand (March 15, 2007)
New Zealand has made considerable progress in implementing restorative justice for adult offenders. This article, by Joshua Wachtel, traces the latest RJ developments, through interviews with criminal justice professionals from the courts, other government agencies and community social-service groups.

Justifying Restorative Justice: A Theoretical Justification for the Use of Restorative Practices (February 23, 2007)
This article by Zvi D. Gabbay, analyzes the premises of the main theories of punishment that influence sentencing policies in Western countries and compares them to the basic values of restorative justice. Originally published by the Journal of Dispute Resolution, a publication of the Center for Dispute Resolution of the University of Missouri School of Law.

Handbook on Restorative Justice Programmes Published by the United Nations (January 12, 2007)
The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime's Criminal Justice Reform Unit has published a Handbook on Restorative Justice Programmes — an introduction to the theory and practice of restorative justice and a guide for nations and practitioners that wish to implement restorative justice. This article by Joshua Wachtel includes interviews with some of its contributors and a link to the handbook.

Restorative Conferencing for Serious Offenses: An Exploration (December 5, 2006)
This article by Ted Wachtel and Laura Mirsky discusses a "do-it-yourself" seminar kit offered by the IIRP and Real Justice, for groups to examine the use of conferencing in response to serious offenses. The kit includes the award-winning Facing the Demons documentary and interviews with conference participants, practitioners and associated professionals. The article includes excerpts from some of these interviews.

The IIRP’s International Conference Takes the Next Step: Restorative Communities (November 14, 2006)
This article by Laura Mirsky provides an overview of the IIRP's eighth international conference, "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities, Part 2," in the IIRP's hometown of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA, October 18–20, 2006.

Family Group Decision Making: My Steps in the Journey (October 20, 2006)
Paper by Laura Rush, presented in a plenary session at "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities, Part 2," the IIRP's 8th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, October 18-20, 2006.

The Game: Restorative Community Supervision with Adult Offenders (September 20, 2006)
A restorative model for supervising adult offenders in community-based programs, The Game was developed by Grahame Chaseling, an Australian corrections officer. This article by Joshua Wachtel includes information and stories about The Game, as well as details about Chaseling's other restorative work.

The Chard and Ilminster Community Justice Panel: Restorative Community Justice (August 29, 2006)
The Chard and Ilminster Community Justice Panel (CICJP), in Somerset County, England, brings victims, offenders and their supporters together face to face to deal with the consequences of an offense and decide how to repair the harm. This article by Laura Mirsky includes information about the CICJP and interviews with coordinator Valerie Keitch and other CICJP principals.

Restorative Conferences Reduce Trauma from Crime, Study Shows (August 15, 2006)
This article by Abbey J. Porter provides information about a controlled study which showed that restorative conferencing reduced post-traumatic stress symptoms in victims of crime. The study was performed by Dr. Caroline M. Angel, a lecturer in criminology at the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.

Graduation at a CSF Buxmont School: A Triumphant Step into the Future (July 11, 2006)
This article by Laura Mirsky tells the stories of three graduates of CSF Buxmont—Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy, sister organizations of the IIRP. All CSF Buxmont schools, which are for teenagers who are having trouble in other schools, are run according to the principles of restorative practices.

John Braithwaite: Peacebuilder, Social Scientist and Restorative Justice Activist (June 8, 2006)
This article by Josh Wachtel profiles John Braithwaite, author of Crime, Shame and Reintegration and 2006 recipient of the Stockholm Prize in Criminology from the Swedish Ministry of Justice. The article discusses the breadth of his work and includes comments from Braithwaite and other criminologists.

The Jerry Lee Program Research on Restorative Justice: Promising Results (April 13, 2006)
The Jerry Lee Program on Randomized Controlled Experiments in Restorative Justice is comparing restorative conference outcomes, for both victims and offenders, to those of conventional criminal justice practices in numerous criminal cases in Australia and the United Kingdom. This article by Abbey J. Porter discusses the results to date.

Sefton Centre for Restorative Practice Strives for a Restorative Community (March 22, 2006)
The Sefton Centre for Restorative Practice, located on the northwest coast of England, has trained hundreds of professionals in schools, the youth justice sector, looked-after children's homes and neighborhoods. This article by Laura Mirsky includes interviews with many of the center's principals, affiliate agency personnel and restorative justice leaders.

Restorative Practices as a Tool for Organizational Change: The Bessels Leigh School (February 23, 2006)
This article discusses the process of implementing restorative practices at the Bessels Leigh School, in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England, a residential special school for boys with emotional and behavioral difficulties. The school has seen a remarkable change in culture, due to restorative practices.

UK Study Shows Majority of Crime Victims Reject Idea of Prison and Favor Restorative Justice Meetings Between Victims and Offenders (January 31, 2006)
The survey shows that nearly two-thirds of a random sample of 991 adult victims of crime believe that prison sentences don't prevent reoffending. More than half favor face-to-face meetings between victims and offenders, so victims can relate the impact of the crime and offenders can take responsibility and make amends.

Click here to read a press release on the survey from Victim Support, co-sponsor of the survey.
Click here to read coverage of the survey in the UK newspaper The Guardian.
Click here to see survey results, from ICM Research.

Report on the IIRP's 7th International Conference, "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities" (November 28, 2005)
A report on the conference, including a detailed conference schedule and papers related to plenary and breakout sessions.

Restorative Justice: Family and Community Group Conferencing (FCGC) in Thailand (November 11, 2005)
Paper by Wanchai Roujanavang, director general of the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection, Thailand Ministry of Justice, presented in a plenary session at "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities," the IIRP's 7th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Manchester, England, UK, November 9-11, 2005.

From Sanctions to Support: Restorative Practices Transform Homes for Looked-After Children in the UK (November 11, 2005)
Article related to plenary session presented by Veronica Hart, manager of Stanfield Children's Home, Welwyn-Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK, at "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities," the IIRP's 7th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Manchester, England, UK, November 9-11, 2005.

Restorative Approaches in Schools: A Perspective from England (November 10, 2005)
Paper by Graham Robb, advisor for the Behaviour and Attendance Program, Department for Education and Skills, England, presented in a plenary session at "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities," the IIRP's 7th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Manchester, England, UK, November 9-11, 2005.

Working and Living in a Restorative Milieu (November 10, 2005)
Paper by Belgian youth workers Elisabeth Vandenbogaerde and Michael Michiels, presented in a plenary session at "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities," the IIRP's 7th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Manchester, England, UK, November 9-11, 2005.

The Kinship Gap? Family Group Decision Making and Family Group Conferencing—Bridging the Gap (November 9, 2005)
Paper by Rev. Benjamin Shortridge, founder and executive director of Los Angeles Family and Community Empowerment Services, presented in a plenary session at "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities," the IIRP's 7th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Manchester, England, UK, November 9-11, 2005.

The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities (November 9, 2005)
Paper by IIRP president and founder Ted Wachtel, presented in a plenary session at "The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities," the IIRP's 7th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Manchester, England, UK, November 9-11, 2005.

Courageous Communities: Circles of Support and Accountability with Individuals Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses (November 3, 2005)
This article by Andrew McWhinnie and Robin J. Wilson discusses Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), a program that works with groups of trained volunteers to prevent reoffending and provide support and accountability for individuals who have committed sexual offenses and have been released from prison.

Restorative Conferencing in Inner-city Albany: From Retribution to Resolution (October 24, 2005)
This article by Mary Shafer talks about how restorative conferencing is being used in Albany, New York, to help to defuse violent incidents, and reports on a conference held in the wake of a serious public brawl that took place at a McDonald's restaurant last spring.

Beyond Zero Tolerance: A Reality-Based Approach to Drug Education and Student Assistance (October 6, 2005)
This booklet, available at www.beyondzerotolerance.org, was issued as part of a campaign by the California (USA) Statewide Task Force for Effective Drug Education. It advocates restorative practices, as implemented by the IIRP's SaferSanerSchools program, as a critical piece in its approach to drug education.

New Zealand Court-Referred Restorative Justice Pilot: Evaluation (September 22, 2005)
The Crime and Justice Research Centre, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand, and the New Zealand Ministry of Justice have released a research evaluation of restorative conferences for juvenile and adult offenders that contains highly positive results. Two-hundred six court-referred conferences, all of which included victim participation (or representation), were evaluated over a one-year period.
Summary of evaluation also available here.

From Sanctions to Support: Restorative Practices Transform Homes for Looked-after Children in the UK (September 8, 2005)
Restorative practices were introduced to the Stanfield Home for looked-after children, in Hertfordshire, UK, to address violent behavior, hostile relationships and staff stress. This article by Laura Mirsky includes interviews with Veronica Hart, manager of Stanfield, and Lynn Knowles, head of children's residential homes, Hertfordshire.

Beyond Punishment: Restorative Community Service (August 25, 2005)
This article by Abbey J. Porter reports on a restorative court-ordered community service program for youth run by the Community Service Foundation (CSF), a sister organization of the IIRP, as part of CSF's in-home supervision and foster-care programs.

Directing Burning Bridges, a Documentary about a Restorative Conference (August 11, 2005)
Laura Mirsky discusses her experience directing Burning Bridges, a documentary about the arson of Mood's Bridge, a historic covered bridge in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA, and the restorative conference held in its wake.

PEASE Academy: The Restorative Recovery School (July 19, 2005)
PEASE Academy ("Peers Enjoying A Sober Education") is a chemical dependency "recovery school," in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA), where restorative principles and practices such as circles have been used to create a respectful, student-centered program. This article about the academy is by Nancy Riestenberg, a prevention specialist with the Minnesota Department of Education’s Safe and Healthy Learners Unit.

Home Work: Life in the CSF Residential Program (July 7, 2005)
Journalist Mary Shafer relates her experiences witnessing restorative practices in action for the first time, at the Community Service Foundation (CSF) Residential Program in Pennsylvania, USA. CSF, a sister organization of the International Institute for Restorative Practices, operates 16 foster group homes for teen-agers, all of which utilize restorative practices.

Long-established Magazine Good Housekeeping Publishes Article on Restorative Justice (June 16, 2005)
The July 2005 American edition of Good Housekeeping, one of the top-selling magazines in the U.S., features a story on restorative justice called "Putting Out the Fire," by Diane Pretasky as told to Jan Goodwin. The article tells the story of a family in La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA, whose house was destroyed in a random act of arson by two teenage boys. The article is reprinted here, with permission, as an Adobe PDF document (file size 2.3 MB).

Restorative Justice Takes the World Stage at United Nations Crime Congress (June 14, 2005)
This article by Abbey J. Porter reports on the 11th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in April 2005, in Bangkok, Thailand, which included an official workshop on restorative justice (the first ever at a U.N. congress) and several restorative justice-related ancillary sessions. There was "unprecedented interest" in restorative justice at the event, according to IIRP director of research Paul McCold, who helped organize the ancillary sessions.

Family Group Decision Making Reunites a Family (June 7, 2005)
This article by Laura Mirsky tells the story of a family that got lost in the child welfare system and was reunited, thanks to a family group decision making (FGDM) conference. For years, Carl Lee and Gina Hall tried to get their son Gino out of foster care, where he had been placed unnecessarily. An FGDM conference finally made it possible for Gino to come home, where he is now happy and thriving.

Nationwide US Publication Reports on Restorative Practices in Schools (May 18, 2005)
An article on restorative practices in schools appears in the May 17, 2005, edition of School Board News, published by the National School Boards Association, a nonprofit federation of state associations of school boards that represents about 15,000 local school districts throughout the United States. The report, by Carol Chmelynski, covers restorative initiatives across the US, including PEASE Academy, a school in Minnesota for students recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, a pilot program in six Wisconsin school districts and the IIRP's SaferSanerSchools program.

Restorative Practices at Queanbeyan South, an Australian Primary School (April 19, 2005)
This article by Abbey J. Porter discusses the use of restorative practices at Queanbeyan South Primary School, in New South Wales, Australia, which once struggled with persistent problems of bullying, violence and absenteeism among its ethnically and economically diverse student population. The school has turned things around, with help from Real Justice Australia and restorative practices. The school won a 2004 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Award, for "Real Justice in a Safe and Happy School."

New Study Reports on Success of Family Group Conferences in Schools in Hampshire County, England, UK (March 23, 2005)
"Supporting Pupils, Schools and Families: An Evaluation of the Hampshire Family Group Conferences in Education Project," a report by the University of Sheffield, England, UK, evaluates 50 family group conferences (FGCs) carried out in schools in Hampshire County, from implementation through many months after each conference. The FGCs were meant to help young people aged 5-15 with behavior and attendance problems, but often addressed family and welfare issues as well. FGCs were seen as having a significantly positive effect: Presenting problems improved in over half of the young people studied; 90 percent of family members said they would recommend FGCs to others; and young people said they found the FGCs to be helpful.

Report on the Sixth International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices (March 12, 2005)
Information on the IIRP's conference in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, March 3-5, 2005, including plenary sessions and breakout sessions.

Regulating Police Discretion: An Assessment of the Impact of the New South Wales Young Offenders Act 1997 (March 5, 2005)
This paper by Jenny Bargen, director, Youth Justice Conferencing, New South Wales Department of Juvenile Justice, Australia, focuses on New South Wales' Young Offenders Act 1997 (YOA) as a case study in the success of restorative conferencing. The paper was presented at the third in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Penrith, Australia, March 3-5, 2005.

The Family Group Conference 14-Year Journey: Celebrating the Successes, Learning the Lessons, Embracing the Challenges (March 5, 2005)
In this paper, Shannon Pakura, chief social worker, New Zealand Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, Wellington, New Zealand, discusses the challenges that family group conferencing (FGC) has encountered and acknowledges successes achieved since FGC has been integrated into New Zealand's youth justice and child welfare systems. The paper was presented at the third in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Penrith, Australia, March 3-5, 2005.

Building Safe and Healthy School Communities: Restorative Justice and Responsive Regulation (March 4, 2005)
This paper by Brenda Morrison, research fellow, Centre for Restorative Justice, Australian National University, endorses the use of restorative justice in schools, particularly as a response to bullying. Bullying, she says, is about the abuse of power, while restorative justice is about empowerment through building relationships. The paper was presented at the third in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Penrith, Australia, March 3-5, 2005.

The Development of Restorative Justice in the UK: A Personal Perspective (March 4, 2005)
This paper is an overview of important developments in restorative justice in the UK, by Les Davey, director of Real Justice United Kingdom and Ireland and a founding member of the Thames Valley Police Restorative Justice Consultancy. Davey discusses initiatives by police and county councils; and pilots, research, best practice guidelines and legislation supported by the Home Office. The paper was presented at the third in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Penrith, Australia, March 3-5, 2005.

Restorative Justice for Juveniles in Hong Kong: Reflections of a Practitioner (March 3, 2005)
In this paper Dennis Sing-Wing Wong, Associate Professor, City University of Hong Kong and Chairman, Centre for Restoration of Human Relationships, Hong Kong, China, discusses his experiences implementing restorative justice with Hong Kong youth in social work, education and the legal system. This paper was presented at the third in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Penrith, Australia, March 3-5, 2005.

The Mackillop Model of Restorative Practice (March 3, 2005)
Elizabeth O'Callaghan, principal of Mary MacKillop Primary School, in South Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, discusses how restorative practices have been successfully implemented at her Catholic primary school. This paper was presented at the third in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Penrith, Australia, March 3-5, 2005.

The Nanaimo Community Justice Forum: A Restorative Justice Partnership in British Columbia, Canada (February 16, 2005)
This is an article based on an interview with Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Staff Sergeant Randy Munro and Nanaimo Region John Howard Society (NRJHS) program manager Violet Smith at the IIRP's August 2004 international conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Nanaimo Community Justice Forum, a partnership between the Nanaimo detachment of the RCMP and NRJHS, a nongovernmental organization, provides restorative justice conferences for youth and adults.

Follow-Up Research Confirms Positive Effect of a Restorative Milieu on Young Offenders (January 25, 2005)
Results of a follow-up study by Paul McCold on the effects of a restorative environment on young offenders have replicated the positive conclusions of the original study, "Evaluation of a Restorative Milieu: CSF Buxmont School Day Treatment Programs 1999-2001." Even two years after program discharge, the restorative environment still had a significant effect in reducing offending among those young people in the original study.

MetroKids Magazine Highlights the IIRP's SaferSanerSchools Program (January 4, 2005)
The January 2005 edition of MetroKids Magazine features an article on SaferSanerSchools, the IIRP program implementing restorative practices in schools. The story, by Ann L. Rappoport, Ph.D., includes interviews with school administrators who are excited about the positive effect restorative practices are having on discipline and school culture.

Major UK Newspaper Publishes Piece on Restorative Justice (December 17, 2004)
The Observer has published an article about restorative justice with adult offenders. Author Mary Riddell provides firsthand coverage of a restorative justice conference, held in prison, between an offender and victim and their supporters. She also reports on the Justice Research Consortium (JRC), a British-government funded program bringing together crime justice professionals and police chiefs to test restorative justice as a strategy to reduce crime.

Transforming School Culture: An Update (December 7, 2004)
The IIRP's SaferSanerSchools program has grown considerably since its initial pilot projects and is training schools in restorative practices all over the world. This article, by Laura Mirsky, describes how restorative practices are being implemented at three diverse school districts and relates the ways in which administrators, teachers and students have benefited.

Restorative Justice Conferencing with Young Offenders at Brookside Youth Centre and Secondary School, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada (October 21, 2004)
An interview by Laura Mirsky with staff members from a secure residential facility for young men where restorative justice conferencing is in widespread use. The approach has been quite successful in resolving conflicts among residents and in building the sense of community and safety in the facility as a whole.

Restorative Practices at Community Prep High School in New York City (September 22, 2004)
This article discusses how the IIRP, via its SaferSanerSchools program, is providing training and consulting to Community Prep High School, a public school in New York City for young people just out of juvenile detention. Community Prep was featured in a New York Times article (July 25, 2004).

Report on the Fifth International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices (September 9, 2004)
Information on the IIRP's conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 5-7, 2004, including plenary sessions and breakout sessions.

From Restorative Justice to Restorative Practices: Expanding the Paradigm (August 5, 2004)
Ted Wachtel, president of the International Institute for Restorative Practices, explains how restorative justice principles have extended beyond criminal justice into the emerging field of restorative practices, which offers a common thread to tie together research and practice in seemingly disparate fields. The paper was presented at the second in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Vancouver, Canada, August 5-7, 2004.

Restorative Justice in Schools in Surrey, British Columbia (August 6, 2004)
Rick Hugh, vice principal, Clayton Heights Secondary School, and Jenni Lynnea, counselor, Princess Margaret Secondary School, discuss how restorative practices have been effectively utilized in their large, multicultural district in the Greater Vancouver area. The paper was presented at the second in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Vancouver, Canada, August 5-7, 2004.

Mapping the Restorative Universe (August 6, 2004)
This paper, by Thom Allena, managing partner, Innovations in Justice, Taos, New Mexico, and Mark Seidler, organizational change consultant, Hampton Bays, New York, explains the rationale behind their special interactive plenary session. Participants met in small groups to obtain a sense of the connections between the many programs and research activities in the field of restorative practices. The paper was presented at the second in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Vancouver, Canada, August 5-7, 2004.

Family Group Conferencing as a First Choice: Empowerment Versus Intervention (August 7, 2004)
Rob van Pagée, of Eigen Kracht Centrale and Op Kleine Schaal, in the Netherlands, organizations that provide family group decision making (FGDM) and Real Justice conferencing throughout Europe, argues for widespread use of both conferencing models as a means to empower citizens and reinvigorate democracy. The paper was presented at the second in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Vancouver, Canada, August 5-7, 2004.

"A Survey of Assessment Research on Mediation and Restorative Justice" by Paul McCold: A Summary (June 29, 2004)
Paul McCold's article, an overview of evaluation research of restorative justice programs worldwide from 1971 to 2001, appeared in the book, "Repositioning Restorative Justice, Criminal Justice and Social Context," from Willan Publishing. The article, which is summarized in the eForum by Laura Mirsky, is a useful tool for those who wish to catch up on the state of restorative justice research.

Restorative Justice Practices of Native American, First Nation and Other Indigenous People of North America: Part Two (May 26, 2004)
Part two of this series includes interviews with Louise Thompson, of the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne, and Leanne Douglas, Christine Douglas and Stephanie Sandy of the Mnjikaning First Nation.

Restorative Justice Practices of Native American, First Nation and Other Indigenous People of North America: Part One (April 27, 2004)
Part one of this series includes interviews with three justice practitioners of the southwestern United States: the Honorable Robert Yazzie, Chief Justice Emeritus of the Navajo Nation Supreme Court; Judge Joseph Flies-Away of the Hualapai Nation; and James Zion, former solicitor to the Navajo Nation Court and current domestic abuse commissioner at Crownpoint, New Mexico, Family Court.

Restorative Practices with Sweden's Homeless: The Stockholm City Mission (March 23, 2004)
The Stockholm City Mission has had great success employing restorative practices with its clients. Two programs are covered in this article: Bostället (the Homestead), a halfway house for homeless men and women, and Klaragården, a day center for homeless women. Includes an interview with Bostället manager Mija Bergman. (Bergman and City Mission social department head Annelie Edren will be plenary speakers at the IIRP's August 2004 conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.)

The Community Conferencing Center: Restorative Practices in Baltimore, Maryland (March 9, 2004)
The Community Conferencing Center (CCC), directed by Dr. Lauren Abramson, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is bringing restorative practices to Baltimore, Maryland. The CCC has facilitated over 500 restorative conferences in Baltimore, as court diversion for offenders, as an alternative to school suspension, to heal ongoing neighborhood conflicts and as an aid in re-entry into family and community after incarceration. This article includes an interview with Dr. Abramson and an overview of the CCC.

IIRP President Discusses Restorative Practices in Schools in Interview Featured on Education World Website (February 27, 2004)
Education World, a widely-read, highly-regarded online journal among educators, has published an interview with IIRP president Ted Wachtel. In the interview, Wachtel describes IIRP's SaferSanerSchools program and provides an overview of SaferSanerSchools training programs and an explanation of the theory of restorative practices.

Restorative Justice Without Offender Participation: A Pilot Program for Victims (February 10, 2004)
This article discusses a project in Hawai’i in which victims have an opportunity to participate in a restorative process where offenders are unavailable, unknown or unwilling to meet. Lorenn Walker, author of the article and the project's coordinator, is a public health educator and lawyer who develops, implements and evaluates conflict prevention and resolution programs. She was herself the victim of a violent crime nearly 30 years ago.

Values and Principles of Restorative Justice in Criminal Matters (January 27, 2004)
This document, issued by the Department of Justice Canada, explains the philosophy of restorative justice, defines the restorative justice process and spells out basic principles and procedural safeguards relating to the use of restorative justice. Available in Adobe PDF format only (106K).

Restorative Justice Program Guidelines (January 27, 2004)
This document, issued by the Department of Justice Canada, suggests best practices in restorative justice, including program development, facilitation and operation, "to be applied in a way appropriate to the context of each community." Available in Adobe PDF format only (110K).

Albert Eglash and Creative Restitution: A Precursor to Restorative Practices (December 3, 2003)
In creative restitution, a concept developed by psychologist Dr. Albert Eglash in the 1950s, an offender is helped to find a way to make amends to those he has hurt by his offense and encouraged to help other offenders. Some of the basic tenets of restorative justice, and the philosophical heart of many restorative practices programs, can be found in the principles of creative restitution. This article includes details from an interview with Dr. Eglash, as well as an exploration of his writings from the 1950s through the present.

Philadelphia Inquirer article on the IIRP's SaferSanerSchools program (November 17, 2003)
The Philadelphia Inquirer, one of the leading newspapers in the United States, has published an article about the IIRP's SaferSanerSchools program, which is implementing restorative practices in schools. Inquirer education reporter Susan Snyder visited pilot schools in southeastern Pennsylvania, where the SaferSanerSchools program is in effect, interviewing students, teachers and administrators, all of whom seemed to appreciate how restorative practices had helped to improve their schools' climates, creating a more positive culture and substantially improving student behavior. (Please see this Letter to the Editor from IIRP President Ted Wachtel regarding Palisades High School.)

Hampshire County, UK: A Place of Innovation for Family Group Conferencing (November 4, 2003)
This article explores the wide variety of FGC programs in Hampshire County, England, UK. Besides providing FGCs in child welfare, youth justice and education applications, Hampshire has instituted a project that is using FGCs in domestic violence cases. They are also working to involve children and families in all phases of the FGC process, from direct self-referral to staff hiring.

Hardwired to Connect: The Scientific Case for Authoritative Communities (October 28, 2003)
This report, issued by the Commission on Children at Risk, jointly sponsored by the YMCA of the USA, Dartmouth University Medical School and the Institute for American Values, asserts that current high rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and other behavioral disorders among American youth stem primarily from a lack of connectedness, both to other people and to moral and spiritual meaning. The report provides scientific support for the aim of restorative practices: to build community and meaningful relationships.

The Wet’suwet’en Unlocking Aboriginal Justice Program: Restorative Practices in British Columbia, Canada (October 21, 2003)
This article by Laura Mirsky discusses a restorative justice program of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation of northwestern British Columbia, which combines traditional Aboriginal justice practices and the existing Canadian justice system, while building a support network to reconnect the Wet'suwet'en young people to their culture and heritage.

Promising Results, Potential New Directions: International FGDM Research and Evaluation in Child Welfare (September 23, 2003)
Link to information on a special double volume of Protecting Children, the journal of the American Humane Association's National Center on Family Group Decision Making. This volume contains reports on FGDM research from around the world and offers "considerable support for the advancement of FGDM and good reasons to explore ways to mainstream its practice." A PDF of the volume's 10-page introductory article is also available.

Restorative Conferences with Serious Juvenile Offenders: An Experiment in Belgium (August 28, 2003)
Lode Walgrave, of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, speaks about the Belgian juvenile justice initiative, which has addressed serious juvenile offenses, including arson, carjacking, armed robbery, serious physical violence and aggravated theft, using the New Zealand model of family group conferencing (FGC), with cases referred by youth court judges. The paper was presented at the first in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Veldhoven, Netherlands, August 28-30, 2003.

Addressing Child Protection and Group Care Issues Through the Use of Family Group Conferencing (August 28, 2003)
Karin Gunderson, of the Northwest Institute for Children and Families, University of Washington School of Social Work, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A, reports the positive results of two significant studies on family group conferencing (FGC): "Long Term and Immediate Outcomes of Family Group Conferencing in Washington State," June 2000, and "'Connected and Cared for': Family Group Conferencing for Youth in Care," June 2002. The paper was presented at the first in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Veldhoven, Netherlands, August 28-30, 2003.

Restorative Practices in a Dutch School (August 29, 2003)
Joke Henskens-Reijman and Roel van Pagée, principals, Terra College, The Hague, Netherlands, speak of their encouraging experiences implementing restorative practices in two large, urban secondary schools where the ethnic make up has recently changed from a homogeneous Dutch population to one that includes children from multiple ethnic and national backgrounds. The paper was presented at the first in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Veldhoven, Netherlands, August 28-30, 2003.

The Northern Territory Police Pre-Court Juvenile Diversion Scheme: A Preventative and Restorative Approach to Juvenile Offending (August 29, 2003)
Graham Waite, superintendent, Northern Territory Police, Australia, discusses the Territory's pre-court juvenile diversion scheme, which provides alternatives, such as Real Justice conferencing, to prosecution and sentencing of young offenders (including Aboriginal youth), in the formal justice system. The scheme produced significant decreases in reoffending and high satisfaction levels. The paper was presented at the first in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Veldhoven, Netherlands, August 28-30, 2003.

Adult Restorative Justice in New Zealand/Aotearoa (August 30, 2003)
Helen Bowen and Jim Boyack, trustees of the Restorative Justice Trust of Auckland, New Zealand, discuss developments in adult restorative justice initiatives in their country, where youth offender family group conferences (FGCs) have been legally mandated since 1989. The 2002 Sentencing, Parole, and Victims' Rights acts have made New Zealand the world's first country to provide for restorative justice practices and principles at all stages of the criminal justice process. The paper was presented at the first in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Veldhoven, Netherlands, August 28-30, 2003.

Against Penal Instrumentalism (August 30, 2003)
John Blad, of Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands, chief editor of the Dutch Journal for Restorative Justice, discusses the Dutch government's shift from having one of the most lenient penal climates in the world to one that is much more punitive. He attributes the rise in his country's incarceration and violent crime rates to the new policies and argues for implementation of restorative justice instead. The paper was presented at the first in a series of three IIRP conferences with the theme, "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," in Veldhoven, Netherlands, August 28-30, 2003.

In Pursuit of Paradigm: A Theory of Restorative Justice (August 12, 2003)
This paper by Paul McCold and Ted Wachtel presents a concise summary of the restorative justice theory that the IIRP has promulgated over the last several years. The theory provides the framework for a comprehensive answer to the how, what and who of the restorative justice paradigm. The paper was presented by Paul McCold at the XIII World Congress of Criminology, August 10-15, 2003, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Also available in Portuguese and Spanish languages.

"Restorative Justice and Alternative Sentencing" Debate on National Public Radio's "Justice Talking" (July 28, 2003)
This show, which first aired on American National Public Radio stations on July 28, 2003, features a debate about the merits of restorative justice between IIRP Director of Training Bob Costello and Ramsey County, Minnesota, USA. Attorney Susan Gaertner. At the "Justice Talking" website, one can read about the debate, listen to it via RealPlayer software or purchase it in CD format.

UK Home Office Consultation Document: “Restorative Justice—the Government's Strategy” (July 24, 2003)
The United Kingdom Home Office published this document outlining a strategy for implementing restorative justice in the criminal justice system. The strategy has two elements: (1) to build in high-quality restorative justice at all stages of the UK criminal justice system and (2) to develop understanding of where restorative justice works best and how it could be fully integrated with the justice system in the longer term. Available as Adobe Acrobat (".pdf") file only. (Size 847K)

Building Restorative Prisons (June 20, 2003)
This article is from a speech by Tim Newell at the IIRP’s Third International Conference in August 2002. He discusses his experience as governor of Grendon and Spring Hill prisons in the UK, building model prison communities using restorative practices.

SaferSanerSchools: Transforming School Culture with Restorative Practices (May 20, 2003)
This article by Laura Mirsky features three schools—Palisades High School, Palisades Middle School and Springfield Township High School, all in Pennsylvania, USA—that implemented a SaferSanerSchools pilot program in which all staff were introduced to restorative practices philosophy and techniques. The article includes interviews with staff and students and disciplinary data collected by the three schools.

Family Group Conferencing Worldwide — Part Three in a Series (May 7, 2003)
Third and final article in a series by Laura Mirsky about family group conferencing (FGC), a restorative approach to problem solving that involves the children, young persons and adults in families in making their own decisions.

Restorative Practices and Policing: An Interview with Paul Schnell (April 15, 2003)
In this interview Paul Schnell — who was recently named St. Paul Police Officer of the Year (St. Paul, Minnesota, USA) — discusses the integration of restorative practices and policing. Schnell is actively promoting the use of informal restorative practices in many areas of policing and is a pioneer in the use of conferencing for serious offenses.

Family Group Conferencing Worldwide — Part Two in a Series (April 3, 2003)
Second article in a series by Laura Mirsky about family group conferencing (FGC), a restorative approach to problem solving that involves the children, young persons and adults in families in making their own decisions.

Community Conferencing: An Interview with Gena Gerard (March 17, 2003)
Gena Gerard is program manager of the Central City Neighborhoods Partnership, Restorative Justice Program (CCNP), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. This conferencing program is designed to address livability issues and crimes that affect the quality of life in this urban community, such as prostitution and neighborhood drug-dealing.

Family Group Conferencing Worldwide — Part One in a Series (Feb. 20, 2003)
First article in a series by Laura Mirsky about family group conferencing (FGC), a restorative approach to problem solving that involves the children, young persons and adults in families in making their own decisions.

A New Reality for Troubled Youth in Hungary: An Update (Jan. 31, 2003)
Follow-up to a presentation from “Dreaming of a New Reality,” the IIRP's Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, August 2002. In that presentation Vidia Negrea, director of CSF Hungary, discussed her experience learning restorative practices in the US and her plans to open a school in her country. The text of Negrea's presentation is available here.

Restorative Practices Impact Public Schools in Minnesota: An Interview with Nancy Riestenberg of the Minnesota Department of Children Families and Learning (Jan. 16, 2003)
Nancy Riestenberg, a prevention specialist with the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning, talks about the implementation of restorative practices in several Minnesota public schools and a three-year evaluation of its effect on student behavior and school culture.

Proceed With Caution: An Evaluation of the Thames Valley Police Initiative in Restorative Cautioning (Dec. 10, 2002)
Summary of a research study of the Thames Valley Police, UK, restorative justice program, conducted by Carolyn Hoyle, Richard Young and Roderick Hill, researchers from the Centre for Criminological Research at Oxford University. Available as PDF only. The full report may be purchased from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation bookshop.

Conferencing, Policing and Community (Dec. 2, 2002)
An interview with Len Wildman and Tom Dwyer of Rochester Police Department's Juvenile Accountability Conferencing program, Rochester, New York.

A Day at a CSF Buxmont School (Nov. 18, 2002)
This article by Laura Mirsky documents her visit to the CSF Buxmont school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and illustrates the use of restorative practices in a school/day treatment setting.

Evaluation of a Restorative Milieu: CSF Buxmont School/Day Treatment Programs 1999-2001, Evaluation Outcome Technical Report (Nov. 12, 2002)
This study by Paul McCold, Ph.D., reports on the effect of restorative practices on reoffending, attitudes, and program completion among students at the CSF Buxmont schools in southeastern Pennsylvania. Dr. McCold presented this paper at the American Society of Criminology annual meeting, November 13-16, 2002, Chicago, Illinois. An Executive Summary and "Research-in-Brief" are also available.

Conferencing: A New Approach for Juvenile Justice in Honolulu (Nov. 5, 2002)
Paper by Lorenn Walker, J.D., M.P.H, from the Federal Probation Journal, Volume 66, No. 1, June, 2002, reporting on an experimental diversion project for first-time juvenile offenders in the City and County of Honolulu.

Restorative Justice and School Violence: Building Theory and Practice (Oct. 22, 2002)
This article by Brenda Morrison of the Center for Restorative Justice, Australian National University, explores the theory and practice of restorative practices as they apply to bullying and school violence.

Reflections on "Dreaming of a New Reality": The IIRP's Third International Conference (Sept. 25, 2002)
Journalist Laura Mirsky reflects on her experience attending and interviewing participants at "Dreaming of a New Reality," the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices.

Long Term and Immediate Outcomes of Family Group Conferencing in Washington State (June 2001) (Sept. 10, 2002)
This article presents the findings of a retrospective study of 70 family group conferences (FGC) conducted in Washington State, USA.

"Dreaming of a New Reality" Conference Proceedings (Sept. 5, 2002)
View the conference proceedings and links to articles from the "Dreaming of a New Reality" conference, held August 8-10, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Restorative Practice in Prisons: Circles and Conferencing in the Custodial Setting (August 10, 2002)
Tim Newell, governor (retired) of Grendon Prison, U.K., explores the organizational paradigm of prison culture, to shed light on how the very different and potentially valuable restorative justice paradigm can be implemented in prisons. Newell oversaw the successful implementation of restorative justice practices in prisons, involving prisoners in taking personal responsibility for their offending and seeking to make reparation. The paper was presented at "Dreaming of a New Reality," the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, August 8-10, 2002.

Transforming School Culture (August 10, 2002)
David F. Piperato, principal, Palisades High School and Joseph J. Roy, principal, Springfield Township High School, Pennsylvania, USA, speak about how to develop a positive, collaborative school culture that supports the school’s educational goals, based on a commitment to establishing relationships among students and staff rooted in mutual caring and respect. The paper was presented at "Dreaming of a New Reality," the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, August 8-10, 2002.

Circle Sentencing: Part of the Restorative Justice Continuum (August 9, 2002)
Heino Lilles, Territorial Judge, Whitehorse, Canada, discusses his experiences as a judge working with circle sentencing: a restorative justice process that aims to recognize victims' needs and identify offenders' rehabilitative needs, engaging the community and the formal justice system as partners, and to a lesser extent victims and offenders, in the resolution of criminal justice-based disputes. The paper was presented at "Dreaming of a New Reality," the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, August 8-10, 2002.

The Family Unity Meeting Program in the County of San Diego Child Protection Setting (August 9, 2002)
Elizabeth Quinnett, Program Manager, County of San Diego, California, USA Health and Human Services Agency, Children's Services, talks about how the Family Unity Meeting process has been implemented in San Diego County, explains the process in detail and discusses the program's success. The paper was presented at "Dreaming of a New Reality," the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, August 8-10, 2002.

Dreaming of a New Reality (August 8, 2002)
Ted Wachtel, president of the International Institute for Restorative Practices, speaks on the philosophy and history of restorative practices. From family group conferencing to restorative circles, the practices have migrated beyond the field of criminal justice to schools and workplaces, where they have proven useful in resolving wrongdoing and conflicts. The paper was presented at "Dreaming of a New Reality," the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, August 8-10, 2002.

Dreaming of a New Reality for Troubled Youth in Hungary (August 8, 2002)
When she was a psychologist working with troubled youth in Hungary, Videa Negrea, now director of Community Service Foundation Hungary, saw that punishments and removing children from their families didn't help. An internship at the International Institute for Restorative Practices inspired her to bring restorative practices to Hungary. The paper was presented at "Dreaming of a New Reality," the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, August 8-10, 2002.

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Research

Bethlehem Police Family Group Conferencing Project
Preliminary results presented to the American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting, Chicago, November 20-23, 1996.

Client Evaluation of Family Group Conferencing in 12 Sites in 1st Judicial District of Minnesota
By Mark Umbreit and Claudia Fercello of the Center for Restorative Justice & Mediation, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota, November 25, 1998. In ".pdf" format only.

Community Group Conferencing Evaluation Forms
Evaluation forms used in the Bethlehem Restorative Policing Experiment. Includes: Conference Observation Form, Facilitator Data Sheet, Post-Conference Offender Questionnaire, Post-Conference Victim Questionnaire, Post-Conference Offender's Parent Questionnaire, Post-Court Offender Questionnaire, Post-Court Victim Questionnaire, Post-Court Offender's Parent Questionnaire. Available as Adobe Acrobat (".pdf") file only. (Size 332K)

Conferencing: A New Approach for Juvenile Justice in Honolulu
Paper by Lorenn Walker, J.D., M.P.H, from the Federal Probation Journal, Volume 66, No. 1, June, 2002, reporting on an experimental diversion project for first-time juvenile offenders in the City and County of Honolulu.

"Dreaming of a New Reality" Conference Proceedings
Read papers from the "Dreaming of a New Reality" conference, held August 8-10, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Evaluation of a Restorative Milieu: CSF Buxmont School/Day Treatment Programs 1999-2001, Evaluation Outcome Technical Report
This study by Paul McCold, Ph.D., reports on the effect of restorative practices on reoffending, attitudes, and program completion among students at the CSF Buxmont schools in southeastern Pennsylvania. Dr. McCold presented this paper at the American Society of Criminology annual meeting, November 13-16, 2002, Chicago, Illinois. An Executive Summary and "Research-in-Brief" are also available.

Linking Crime Prevention to Restorative Justice
By John Braithwaite, Australian National University. Discusses how research needs to show that restorative justice prevents crime in order to make it mainstream, and how restorative justice programs can improve their crime prevention capacity. Presented at the First North American Conference on Conferencing, August 6-8, 1998, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Long Term and Immediate Outcomes of Family Group Conferencing in Washington State (June 2001)
This article presents the findings of a retrospective study of 70 family group conferences (FGC) conducted in Washington State, USA.

Making Amends: Final Evaluation of the Queensland Community Conferencing Pilot
Prepared for Queensland Department of Justice Juvenile Justice Branch by Hennessey Hayes and Tim Prenzler, with Richard Wortley. Centre for Crime Policy and Public Safety, School of Justice Administration, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, July, 1998. Available as Adobe Acrobat (".pdf") file only. (Size 960K)

Police Attitude Questionnaire
This survey was developed for the Bethlehem Restorative Policing Experiment. It is a combination of two sets of scales reported reliable in previously published studies and two sets of scales found reliable in the Bethlehem Experiment. The survey measures police attitudes and is intended as a pre-test before implementing a change program and again as a post-test at least 12 months later. Available as Adobe Acrobat (".pdf") file only. (Size 136K)

Police-Facilitated Restorative Conferencing: What the Data Show
Paper presented by Paul McCold to the Second Annual International Conference on Restorative Justice for Juveniles, Florida Atlantic University, and the International Network for Research on Restorative Justice for Juveniles, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., November 7-9, 1998. Available as Adobe Acrobat (".pdf") file only. (Size 152K)

Restorative Justice and School Discipline: Mutually Exclusive?
A practitioner's view of the impact of community conferencing in Queensland schools, written by Lisa Cameron, Education Queensland and Margaret Thorsborne, Transformative Justice Australia (Queensland).

Restorative Justice in New Zealand: Family Group Conferences as a Case Study
By Allison Morris and Gabrielle Maxwell,Western Criminology Review,1998. Describes the role family group conferences play, drawing from research the authors conducted from 1990 to 1991 and in 1996. Reviews the extent to which young people, their families, and victims can come together to decide how best to deal with the young person's offending.

Restorative Justice Theory Validation: Executive Summary
By Paul McCold and Ted Wachtel. Executive summary of paper presented at the Fourth International Conference on Restorative Justice for Juveniles, Tübingen, Germany, October 1-4, 2000.

Restorative Policing Experiment: The Bethlehem Pennsylvania Police Family Group Conferencing Project
Full 150-page final report from an experimental study of conferencing by police in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, funded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice. Available as Adobe Acrobat (".pdf") file only. (Size 744K)

Restorative Policing Experiment Summary
Research summary from the final report on the Bethlehem Police Family Group Conferencing Project, May 1998. Adobe Acrobat version (".pdf") also available.

Restorative Practices Impact Public Schools in Minnesota: An interview
with Nancy Riestenberg of the Minnesota Department of Children
Families and Learning
Nancy Riestenberg, a prevention specialist with the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning, talks about the implementation of restorative practices in several Minnesota public schools and a three-year evaluation of its effect on student behavior and school culture.

Reintegrative Shaming Experiments (RISE)
Papers and reports on the Reintegrative Shaming Experiments (RISE) for restorative community policing. RISE is a project of the Law Program, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra.

Virginia Conferencing Project: A Four-Site Evaluation
A report by Paul McCold on a four-site evaluation of Real Justice community conferences for juveniles in justice and educational settings during 1998-1999. Adobe Acrobat version (".pdf") also available.

Woodbury Police Department's Restorative Justice Community Conferencing Program
By Mark Umbreit and Claudia Fercello of the Center for Restorative Justice & Mediation, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota. An initial assessment of client satisfaction. In ".pdf" format only.

The Worst School I've Ever Been To: Empirical Evaluations of a Restorative School and Treatment Milieu
Article from "Dreaming of a New Reality" conference program book by Paul McCold, director of research, and Ted Wachtel, president, of the IIRP. The article reports on the results of a 3-year evaluation of the use of a restorative practices milieu in the Community Service Foundation schools in southeastern Pennsylvania.

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Principles and Practices

Aboriginal People and Justice Issues
Paper by Hon. Murray Sinclair presented at the 2nd International Conference on Conferencing and Circles, August 10-12, 2000, Toronto, Canada.

Background Paper on New Zealand Youth Justice Process
Paper presented at International Bar Assocation, Judges' Forum, Section on General Practice, Edinburgh, June 10-13, 1995. Written by Judge Michael J.A. Brown, Principal Youth Court Judge, New Zealand. Describes origins and process of family group conferencing in New Zealand.

Building Community Support for Restorative Justice: Principles and Strategies
Paper by Kay Pranis, Restorative Justice Planner, Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Can Police Services Deliver Sound and Safe Restorative Practice
Paper by Les Davey presented at the 2nd International Conference on Conferencing and Circles, August 10-12, 2000, Toronto, Canada.

CCNP Conferencing Project, April 1998
A report on the Central City Neighborhoods Partnership conferencing project, Minneapolis — the first neighborhood-operated conferencing program, and the first to deal with adult offenders in an urban setting.

Community Holistic Circle Healing
Berma Bushie of the Community Holistic Circle Healing project in Hollow Water, Manitoba, describes the use of healing circles as a response to sexual abuse in an Aboriginal community.

Community is Not a Place: A New Look at Community Justice Initiatives
Paper presented to the International Conference on Justice Without Violence: Views from Peacemaking Criminology and Restorative Justice, Albany, New York, June 5-7, 1997, by Paul McCold and Benjamin Wachtel, Community Service Foundation.

Community Justice Volunteer Mobilization Project
Paper by John Howard Society, Moncton, New Brunswick, presented at the 2nd International Conference on Conferencing and Circles, August 10-12, 2000, Toronto, Canada.

Community Policing a Foundation for Restorative Justice
Paper by William Parks presented at the 2nd International Conference on Conferencing and Circles, August 10-12, 2000, Toronto, Canada.

Conferencing and the Community
Kay Pranis, Restorative Justice Planner, Minnesota Department of Corrections, discusses the importance of conferencing in involving, supporting and building community. Presented at the First North American Conference on Conferencing, August 6-8, 1998, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Conference: A Group Process That Promotes Resiliency
Paper by Lorenn Walker presented at the 2nd International Conference on Conferencing and Circles, August 10-12, 2000, Toronto, Canada.

Conferencing a Serious Arson Case
Paper by Ron Hunt presented at the 2nd International Conference on Conferencing and Circles, August 10-12, 2000, Toronto, Canada.

Curbing Crime in Aboriginal Communities
By Hon. Judge Jean-L. Dutil, Provinci