Restorative Juvenile Justice Legislation and Policy: A National Assessment.

Source: (2008) International Journal of Restorative Justice. 4(2):100-118.

While the modern day restorative justice movement continues to evolve at the state and community levels, jurisdictions have addressed juvenile justice system concerns with policy and legislative agendas. These actions have lead to a response to juvenile crime and established a balance between the needs of victims, offenders and community. Seven states focus exclusively on the balanced approach mission. Others emphasize the restorative justice value framework with (sixteen states) or without reference to the balanced approach (eight states). The majority of the states that have revised their statutes or codes to reflect restorative justice principles have done so in the past two decades. The political and professional challenges will increase as restorative justice programs and practices expand to incorporate principles into state statutes, policies, mission statements, program plans, job descriptions, and evaluation standards. The author also identifies three states, Pennsylvania, Alaska and South Carolina, as models of restorative justice reform and implementation. These states have clear and consistent restorative language in mission, legislation, policy and programs, while providing for systemic change. (author’s abstract)