During our Tuesday Session on Police Reform, we touched upon concepts & actions linked to restorative justice. So, today for our civics lesson we want to define and discuss the term ‘restorative justice.’ Restorative justice is a form of criminal justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by crime through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. In contrast to punitive justice, which focuses on punishment and penalty, restorative justice aims to establish community and wellness. (It’s a framework that acknowledges that crime is more than just breaking the law, rather it causes harm and any form of justice requires repairing that harm.)

We at VA BLOC strive to build healthier communities where restorative justice is the norm and not an exception. We hope to see you at our next Town Hall on Economic Justice. You can RSVP for the event here: bit.ly/Session3EconJustice