Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Vol. 15 No. 41 (2024)
Desarrollo, cognición y educación en la era digital: Retos y oportunidades para la formación de estudiantes y sociedades del siglo XXI más justas y equitativas

Temática central

The Potential of Restorative Justice: Holistic Student Development Based on Respect and Relationships

https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.22160159.v15.n41.2024.16842

Published 2024-09-26

  • Gabriel Mateo Velez

Gabriel Mateo Velez
Marquette University

Abstract

Harnessing educational contexts to build equitable and just societies requires attention to young people’s meaning-making and development. The end goals of such efforts inherently extend beyond the schools themselves to include the skills, orientations, and values youth bring to their lives outside and after school. Additionally, interventions and programs that are meant to be supportive may not be experienced in that way by students. These foci are essential for better understanding the potential of school restorative justice, a growing movement in schools across the world. In this article, I define school restorative justice, review literature on its potential, and then make a case for a developmental perspective on how it might shape young people’s lives and identities. Specifically, I apply the framework of conceptualized peace to argue for attention to how young people interpret, respond to, and build identities in relation to these experiences. The results are consequential because this framework highlights deeper impacts on students, as well as the reasons young people may or may not engage with them.

Keywords

restorative justice, psychological development, identity, social justice, youth

PDF HTML EPUB

References

  1. Amna, E., Ekström, M., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2009). Political socialization and human agency: The development of civic engagement from adolescence to adulthood. Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift, 111 (1).
  2. Aquino, E., Wadhwa, A., & Manchester, H. B. (2021). The little book of youth engagement in restorative justice: Intergenerational partnerships for just and equitable schools. Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 1680997483.
  3. Armour, M. (2016). Restorative Practices: Righting the Wrongs of Exclusionary School Discipline. University of Richmond Law Review, 50 (3), 999–1037.
  4. Arnett, J. J. (2015). Identity development from adolescence to emerging adulthood: What we know and (especially) don’t know. In K. C. McLean & M. Syed (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Identity Development (pp. 53–64). Oxford University Press.
  5. Beaumont, E. (2010). Political agency and empowerment: Pathways for developing a sense of political efficacy in young adults. In L. R. Sherrod, J. Torney-Purta, C. A. Flanagan, L. R. Sherrod (Ed), J. Torney-Purta (Ed), & C. A. Flanagan (Ed) (Eds.), Handbook of research on civic engagement in youth. (pp. 525–558). John Wiley & Sons Inc. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470767603.ch20
  6. Berents, H., & McEvoy-Levy, S. (2015). Theorizing youth and everyday peace (building). Peacebuilding, 3 (2), 115–125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2015.1052627
  7. Blakemore, S.-J., & Mills, K. L. (2014). Is adolescence a sensitive period for sociocultural processing? Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 187–207. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115202
  8. Bondü, R., & Elsner, B. (2015). Justice sensitivity in childhood and adolescence. Social Development, 24 (2), 420–441. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12098
  9. Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992). Ecological systems theory. In R. Vasta (Ed.), Six theories of child development: Revised formulations and current issues (pp. 187–249). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
  10. Bruner, J. S. (1990). Acts of meaning (Vol. 3). Harvard University Press. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674003613
  11. Clark, J. N. (2008). The three Rs: Retributive justice, restorative justice, and reconciliation. Contemporary Justice Review, 11 (4), 331–350. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10282580802482603
  12. Daly, K. (2016). What is restorative justice? Fresh answers to a vexed question. Victims & Offenders, 11 (1), 9–29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2015.1107797
  13. Darling-Hammond, S., Fronius, T. A., Sutherland, H., Guckenburg, S., Petrosino, A., & Hurley, N. (2020). Effectiveness of restorative justice in US K-12 schools: A review of quantitative research. Contemporary School Psychology, 24, 295–308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-020-00290-0
  14. Deakin, J., & Kupchik, A. (2018). Managing Behaviour: From Exclusion to Restorative Practices. In J. Deakin, E. Taylor, & A. Kupchik (Eds.), The Palgrave International Handbook of School Discipline, Surveillance, and Social Control (pp. 511–527). Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71559-9_26
  15. Eccles, J. S., & Roeser, R. W. (2011). Schools as Developmental Contexts During Adolescence. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21 (1), 225–241. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00725.x
  16. Evans, K., & Vaandering, D. (2016). The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education: Fostering Responsibility. Healing, and Hope in Schools.
  17. Falk, T. (2021, June 7). Milwaukee schools fight two pandemics: COVID and inequality. Wisconsin Examiner. https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2021/06/07/milwaukee-schools-fight-two-pandemics/covid-and inequality/
  18. Freire, P. (1973). Education for critical consciousness (Vol. 1). New York: Seabury Press. https://abahlali.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Paulo-Freire-Education-for-Critical-Consciousness-ContinuumImpacts-2005.pdf
  19. Gavrielides, T., & Wong, D. S. W. (Eds.). (2019). Restorative Justice in Educational Settings and Policies: Bridging the East and West. RJ4 All Publications.
  20. González, T., Sattler, H., & Buth, A. J. (2019). New directions in whole-school restorative justice implementation. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 36 (3), 207–220. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/crq.21236
  21. Gregory, A., Ward-Seidel, A. R., & Carter, K. V. (2020). Twelve Indicators of Restorative Practices Implementation: A Framework for Educational Leaders. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 1–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2020.1824788
  22. Guerrero, M., Anderson, A. J., Catlett, B. S., Sánchez, B., & Liao, C. L. (2021). Emerging Adults’ Social Justice Engagement: Motivations, Barriers, and Social Identity. American Journal of Community Psychology, 68 (1–2), 73–87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12495
  23. Hammack, P. L. (2011). Narrative and the politics of identity: The cultural psychology of Israeli and Palestinian youth. Oxford University Press.
  24. Hoffman, S. (2014). Zero benefit: Estimating the effect of zero tolerance discipline polices on racial disparities in school discipline. Educational Policy, 28 (1), 69–95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904812453999
  25. Jain, S., Buka, S. L., Subramanian, S. V., & Molnar, B. E. (2012). Protective factors for youth exposed to violence: Role of developmental assets in building emotional resilience. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 10 (1), 107–129. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204011424735
  26. Jovchelovitch, S., Priego-Hernández, J., & Glăveanu, V.-P. (2013). Constructing public worlds: Culture and socio-economic context in the development of children’s representations of the public sphere. Culture & Psychology, 19 (3), 323–347. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X13489320
  27. Killen, M., Elenbaas, L., & Ruck, M. D. (2022). Developmental perspectives on social inequalities and human rights. Human Development, 1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000526276
  28. Knight, D., & Wadhwa, A. (2014). Expanding opportunity through critical restorative justice: Portraits of resilience at the individual and school level. Schools, 11 (1), 11–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/675745
  29. Lodi, E., Perrella, L., Lepri, G. L., Scarpa, M. L., & Patrizi, P. (2021). Use of restorative justice and restorative practices at school: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (1), 96. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010096
  30. Lustick, H. (2020). Culturally responsive restorative discipline. Educational Studies, 56 (6), 555–583. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00131946.2020.1837830
  31. Lustick, H. (2022). Schoolwide critical restorative justice. Journal of Peace Education, 19 (1), 1–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17400201.2021.2003763
  32. Luthern, A. (2019, July 10). In one of America’s most segregated cities, there’s unequal violence and unequal justice. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. https://projects.jsonline.com/news/2019/7/10/murderin-milwaukee-segregation-shapes-racial-disparities-and-crime.html
  33. Lyubansky, M., & Barter, D. (2019). Restorative Justice in Schools: Theory, Implementation, and Realistic Expectations. In M. G. C. Njoku, L. A. Jason, & R. B. Johnson (Eds.), The Psychology of Peace Promotion (pp. 309–328). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14943-7_19
  34. Martinez, A., Villegas, L., Hassoun Ayoub, L., Jensen, E., & Miller, M. (2022). Restorative Justice and School-wide Transformation: Identifying Drivers of Implementation and System Change. Journal of School Violence, 21 (2), 190–205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2022.2039682
  35. McEvoy-Levy, S. (2001). Youth as social and political agents: Issues in post-settlement peace building. Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame.
  36. McEvoy-Levy, S. (Ed.). (2006). Troublemakers or peacemakers?: Youth and post-accord peace building. University of Notre Dame Press.
  37. Moloney, G., & Walker, I. (Eds.). (2007). Social representations and identity: Content, process, and power. Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230609181
  38. Morrison, B. E., & Vaandering, D. (2012). Restorative justice: Pedagogy, praxis, and discipline. Journal of School Violence, 11 (2), 138–155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2011.653322
  39. Moscovici, S. (1984). The phenomenon of social representations. In R. M. Farr & S. Moscovici (Eds.), Social representations (pp. 3–69). Cambridge University Press.
  40. Nucci, L. (2017). Character: A multi-faceted developmental system. Journal of Character Education, 13 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12313
  41. (1), 1–16.
  42. Oppenheimer, L. (2012). Children’s Conceptions of Peace. In D. J. Christie (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Peace Psychology: Vol. I (pp. 115–119). Wiley-Blackwell. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470672532.wbepp029
  43. Parameswaran, U. D., Molloy, J., & Kuttner, P. (2023). Healing Schools: A Framework for Joining Trauma-Informed Care, Restorative Justice, and Multicultural Education for Whole School Reform. The Urban Review, 1–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-023-00666-5
  44. Sapiro, B., & Ward, A. (2020). Marginalized youth, mental health, and connection with others: A review of the literature. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 37 (4), 343–357. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-019-00628-5
  45. Schweizer, S., Lawson, R. P., & Blakemore, S.-J. (2023). Uncertainty as a driver of the youth mental health crisis. Current Opinion in Psychology, 53, 101657. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101657
  46. Skiba, R. J., Arredondo, M. I., & Rausch, M. K. (2014). New and developing research on disparities in discipline. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University.
  47. Song, S. Y., Eddy, J. M., Thompson, H. M., Adams, B., & Beskow, J. (2020). Restorative consultation in schools: A systematic review and call for restorative justice science to promote anti-racism and social justice. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 30 (4), 462–476. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2020.1819298
  48. Spencer, M. B. (2006). Phenomenology and ecological systems theory: Development of diverse groups. In R. Lerner & W. Damon (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology (pp. 829–893). Wiley. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0115
  49. Spencer, M. B., Dupree, D., & Hartmann, T. (1997). A phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST): A self-organization perspective in context. Development and Psychopathology, 9(04), 817–833. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579497001454
  50. Velez, G. (2019). Conceptualized Peace: A Study of Colombian Adolescents’ Meaning Making and Civic Development. University of Chicago.
  51. Warnick, B. R., & Scribner, C. F. (2020). Discipline, punishment, and the moral community of schools. Theory and Research in Education, 18 (1), 98–116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878520904943
  52. Watts, R. J., Diemer, M. A., & Voight, A. M. (2011). Critical consciousness: Current status and future directions. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2011 (134), 43–57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cd.310
  53. Winn, M. T. (2020). Justice on both sides: Transforming education through restorative justice. Harvard Education Press. https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781682531822/justice-on-both-sides/#generate-pdf
  54. Zakszeski, B., & Rutherford, L. (2021). Mind the gap: A systematic review of research on restorative practices in schools. School Psychology Review, 50 (2–3), 371–387. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1852056
  55. Zehr, H. (2002). The little book of restorative justice. Good Books. ISBN: 1561483761.
  56. Zehr, H., & Mika, H. (2017). Fundamental concepts of restorative justice. In Restorative Justice (pp.73–81). Routledge DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351150125-4

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.