Restorative practices show promise in Minnesota schools. On-the-Map: Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Source: (2002) Beyond Just Us (Spring): 1-2. Special Crime Victims’ Rights Week issue. Denver, Colorado: Colorado Forum on Community and Restorative Justice. Downloaded 5 April 2004.

Kay Pranis asserts that the use of restorative justice principles and practices shows promise in reducing behavioral referrals to the school office and suspensions. She also claims the use of restorative justice improves teacher satisfaction. In making these statements, she is drawing from findings detailed in “In-school Behavior Intervention Grants,” a report evaluating the use of restorative measures by four Minnesota school districts at the elementary and secondary levels. As background, Pranis notes that Minnesota embarked in 1998 on an initiative to apply and evaluate alternative approaches to suspensions and expulsions from school, with those alternative approaches being based in restorative principles and practices. Pranis summarizes the findings of the evaluation as measured in key areas: suspensions, expulsions, attendance, academics, and school climate.