Brooklyn Restorative Justice Project

The New York Civil Liberties Union has published a stunning analysis of new data made public through the Student Safety Act, which requires the New York City Police Department to issue quarterly reports on arrests, summonses, and other police-involved incidents in New York City public schools.

Restorative approaches to conflict have a long history rooted in cultural healing of indigenous communities. Yet, the use of restorative approaches to building community and repairing harm is relatively new in U.S. schools. Educators across the nation have many unanswered questions about best practices for introducing restorative justice (RJ) to their communities, building sustained engagement with school discipline reform, and eradicating disparities in exclusionary school discipline.

Last month, Brooklyn Community Foundation was privileged to host the great Fania Davis on a visit to Brooklyn to meet the schools and community-based organizations partnering with us in our Brooklyn Restorative Justice Project.

On September 24th, national and local advocates and practitioners came together at the Brooklyn Museum in front of an audience of over 200 people to discuss the school-to-prison pipeline and innovative alternatives to combat this crisis. 

The visit was a valuable opportunity to see restorative practices first-hand, talk with school leaders, and experience the transformational power of Restorative Justice.

In this blog, Brooklyn Restorative Justice Project evaulator Anne Gregory shares lessons from her previous research and why they're critical to our success with the Brooklyn Restorative Justice Project.

Guest blogger Skye Roper-Moses from New York Peace Institute writes about the way she's working with students, teachers, and staff at Rachel Carson High School in Coney Island to create a Restorative Justice program molded to their individual needs.

Guest blogger Nicole Lavonne Smith from Sweet River Consulting shares their approach to Restorative Justice and how they're helping to build a new model for school discipline through our Brooklyn Restorative Justice Project.