About Restorative Justice

Restorative Justice (RJ) is a philosophical approach that embraces the reparation of harm, healing of trauma, reconciliation of interpersonal conflict, reduction of social inequality, and reintegration of people who have been marginalized and excluded. RJ embraces community empowerment and participation, multi-partial facilitation, active accountability, and social support. A central practice of restorative justice is a collaborative decision-making process that includes harmed parties, people who caused harm, and others to seek a resolution that includes: (a) accepting and acknowledging responsibility for harmful behavior, (b) repairing the harm caused to individuals and the community, and (c) working to rebuild trust by showing understanding of the harm, addressing personal issues, and building positive social connections.

In educational communities, restorative practices can be used as a tool to:

  • Proactively support community building and strengthen campus culture and climate
  • Address incidents of harm
  • Support effective reintegration after separation

CU’s Restorative Justice Certificate Program

The system office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion contracted in 2022 with the Center for Restorative Justice within the School of Leadership and Education Science at the University of San Diego to train and certify a cohort of 24 individuals from across CU’s four campuses and system. The 2022 cohort participated in their Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership Certificate program, which is a year-long program with three courses. Campus CDOs and compliance leaders will then work to embed these practices in their conflict resolution processes and community building work.

The cohort began their program in February 2022 with Course 1:  Introduction to Restorative Justice: A Global Social Movement.  The course was a virtual 14-week course, asynchronous with two (2) live zoom sessions.  Course 2: Restorative Justice Facilitation and Skill-Building Intensive was in-person on the San Diego campus in July 2022.  The group completed their program with Course 3: Restorative Justice Practicum. This course was a virtual 14-week course from August-December 2022 with nine (9) two-hour zoom sessions interspersed with asynchronous activities and self-reflection exercises.