The Next Step: Developing Restorative Communities.

Source: (2005) Paper presented at “The Next Step: Building Restorative Communities”, IIRP 7th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, 9-11 November, Manchester, England, UK. Downloaded 9 December 2005.

Ted Wachtel in this paper casts a restorative vision that goes beyond the criminal justice system, the school setting, or any single sphere of life. He asks and explores the larger question of what a restorative community would like. He grounds this vision in what he terms “restorative practices,” which he characterizes as a new social science focusing on “restoring and developing social capital, social discipline, emotional well-being and civic participation through participatory learning and decision making” (from the mission statement of the International Institute for Restorative Practices, of which Wachtel is president).