Municipal Court Reforms and Newark Community Solutions
The virtues of restorative justice have been advocated for by everyone from prosecutors to abolitionists.
Yet in the U.S., its reach has been constrained—primarily applied to minor charges and often excluding crimes involving violence.
This fails to realize the full potential of restorative justice—as a means of repairing and preventing future harm, and of reducing the use of jail and prison.
The Center for Justice Innovation has been a leader in the use of restorative justice since 2013. In recent years, we have turned increasingly to building restorative responses to cases involving serious harm. This entails a much deeper engagement with the criminal legal system and here significant tensions can emerge.
This document outlines strategies for mitigating potential tensions, and for building restorative responses to more serious charges that promote healing, meet the needs of victims, and support everyone’s long-term safety.
Violence requires a response that opens opportunities for a different future.