Restorative Practices
Restorative Justice (RJ) is a theory of justice that emphasizes reparation of harm or impact caused by behavior that is not aligned with the community expectations (such as the DU Honor Code). Restorative justice goes beyond the act of rule-breaking and focuses on identifying and addressing the impact of one’s actions. Such process is best accomplished through a collaborative discussion process that involves appropriate stakeholders (impacted parties and community members alike). The underlying goal of RJ is to place the decision-making authority about how to best move forward from an incident or conflict into the hands of those involved and/or impacted.
Student Rights & Responsibilities at the University of Denver is implementing restorative justice principles through a specific case resolution format that aims to be educational, restorative, and empowering for all participants: Restorative Justice Conferences (RJCs). RJCs are offered to students who actively take responsibility for their actions, and are willing to learn about the impact caused by their actions. RJCs are distinctive from the traditional case resolution processes in that they focus on identifying and directly addressing the impact caused by the violations, and they directly involve the student, as well as the involved/impacted parties, in the decision-making process about appropriate outcomes.
Benefits of the Restorative Justice Process
Empowers participants; allows for individuals to be heard
Promotes focus on impact of actions, rather than the act of rule-breaking
Supports sharing of information
Encourages collaborative decision-making
Increases participation satisfaction
Remains confidential