What We Do

Since 2015, RJI has worked to generate interest and excitement about restorative justice, and to bring people together in an effort to expand its acceptance and implementation.

• We have organized countless public presentations, referred many people to training and facilitators, and inspired some New Yorkers to make restorative justice their life’s work.
• RJI has also been called on to offer restorative justice workshops to a variety of organizations engaged in such issues as education equity advocacy, criminal justice reform advocacy, violence prevention and intervention, restorative justice diversion and reentry services.
• Government agencies have also called on RJI to shape citywide program implementation.

Some Examples of What We Do

• In spring 2021, the NYC Commission on Human Rights tapped RJI to join an advisory group to guide the incorporation of restorative justice principles and practices into the Commission’s litigation, policy, and community-based work.
• RJI provided thought leadership to help develop a model of robust accountability for those that have caused or contributed to sexual harm that is both survivor-centered and based on powerful inclusivity, rather than based on “othering” and public shaming.
• Since 2018 we have partnered with The Center for Creative Conflict Resolution at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) to host a series of Citywide Roundtables on Restorative Approaches, where we convened diverse stakeholders to begin developing a vision for a restorative city.
• Trinity Church Wall Street has called on us more than once to help design and facilitate retreats and events related to restorative justice.

• In February 2023, we held the 5th Citywide Roundtable on Restorative Approaches, marking the first Citywide Roundtable held in-person since January 2020, and the first Citywide Roundtable held in Queens.

• In March 2023, we launched our Storytelling for Collective Healing program, which paired artists and storytellers to amplify reconciliation, transformation, and healing stories.

• We created the Practitioner Spotlight, a digital interview series that shines a light on novel approaches to restorative justice from across our network.

• In 2022, we established our inaugural Youth Advocacy Council that ran for the 2022-23 academic year. The Council designed personal community projects, including facilitating conversations on restorative justice at their previously attended middle schools, current high schools, and community bookstores, and preparing to facilitate community circles with their mentors.

• We curated and hosted a series of circles on the topic of grief and grieving, that allowed for participants to be seen as they move through the many challenges of the current moment.

• Also in 2023, we began hosting online gatherings for RJ Consultants and Independent Contractors, forming a community of practice to combat isolation and share resources and support.

Additionally, throughout the current health crisis, our team has convened thought leaders to engage in strategic planning and hosted educational and community-building events through virtual platforms.

For example, we conducted a series of online focus groups for On Our Terms, a participatory action research project through which we explored the experiences of NYC public school students, educators and parents with safety, accountability and restorative justice, in order to inform school climate policy advocacy.

The launch of the On Our Terms website serves as a spotlight on the findings and recommendations of students, parents and educators involved in the project, which will include web-based and downloadable tools to support ongoing education and action.

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Header Photo by Maurice Pinzon