2023 Annual Report
I believe that restorative justice is a radical and necessary framework for our politically and socially fractious times. Here in New York City, we know all-too-well how distorted and racist narratives about crime and public safety are used to manipulate politics and policies. We see the continued over-investment in systems of coercion and control and the disinvestment in solutions based on community care and healing. We have seen that we can’t rely solely on our elected officials and institutions to embed and sustain this work, which is why we are building a broad and diverse grassroots base of support.
For eight years New Yorkers have been coming to us because they want options:
- A victim of crime who recognizes that the prosecution and punishment of the person who harmed her will not bring resolution or healing
- A non-profit board seeking to address conflict and harm during a period of leadership transition
- A government agency seeking thought partnership as they develop restorative programming
- An educator seeking support to bring restorative practices to his classroom.
In 2015, I made it my mission to address these needs because, at its core, restorative justice is a relational approach to justice. Since RJI’s formation, we have grown a highly engaged network of over 3,700 and a digital reach of nearly 9,000 practitioners and advocates through which we foster collaboration and collective action across sectors. While there are a growing number of organizations in New York City that deliver services that utilize restorative practices, our team has a bird’s eye view of the sector, and as such, we are the only organization that bridges the gaps between multiple stakeholders and maintains the alliances that will propel the movement forward.
In eight years we have grown from an all-volunteer organization to a paid staff of four! To learn more about what we’ve accomplished this year, I encourage you to view our annual report.
