Anti-bullying Program Aims to Shift Culture in Schools: Is this Restorative Justice in Action?

Source: (2003) Voma Connections. Winter(13): 3. Downloaded 15 April 2003.

Schools are tightly knit communities with particular qualities and patterns – that is, with their own culture. Recent incidents of intense violence in American schools have greatly altered the sense of safety in school communities. Yet a more subtle and ongoing form of violence – bullying or peer abuse – also affects individuals and school communities. With all of this in view, Jane Riese examines whether restorative concepts can be used in schools to address bullying. In particular she looks at an anti-bullying program pioneered by Dr. Dan Loweus, professor of psychology at the University of Bergen and author of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.