“Is a process to involve, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in a specific offense and to collectively identify and address harms, needs and obligations, in order to heal and put things as right as possible.” -Howard Zehr, Zher Institute for Restorative Justice

Three assumptions underlie Restorative Justice

• When people and relationships are harmed, needs are created
• The needs created by harms lead to obligations
• The obligations are to heal and “put right” the harms; this is a just response.

Three principles of Restorative Justice reflect these assumptions: A just response…

• Acknowledges and repairs the harm caused by, and revealed by, wrongdoing (restoration);
• Encourages appropriate responsibility for addressing needs and repairing the harm (accountability);
• Involves those impacted, including the community, in the resolution (engagement).