The Restorative Justice Program’s mission is to facilitate restorative processes that affirm the strengths, dignity and humanity of young people, create space for relational accountability, and build power with community.
LRC’s staff of restorative facilitators are deeply trained and experienced practitioners. We facilitate a wide variety of restorative processes, all of which focus on the strength and power of youth, families, and communities to know their best interests and how to handle their own conflicts. This includes but is not limited to Family Group Conferences, Circles to Repair Harm, and Restorative Dialogues. Our facilitation is approached from a strengths-based perspective that affirms the dignity of all participants and is grounded in frameworks of racial equity, positive youth development, and trauma-informed care.
Through ongoing restorative consultation, training and thought-partnership, we support Twin Cities Metro Area school communities in their exploration of restorative practices. This collaboration seeks to deepen practical restorative facilitation skills while working towards the development of relationship-centered, non-punitive, trauma-informed school climates and accountability systems. Within this framework, we work to create a world where all educators and school communities feel well equipped and supported to implement and uplift relational practices, ultimately creating learning environments in which students of all identities and backgrounds can thrive and feel a strong sense of belonging.
The Restorative Justice Program is engaged with several restorative services projects, partnering with multiple school districts and diversion programs. Current partners include:
School-Based Restorative Practices
Minneapolis Public Schools
Saint Paul Public Schools
Robbinsdale Area Schools
Diversion + Truancy Programs
Hennepin County Attorney’s Office
Ramsey County Attorney’s Office
Minneapolis Police Department