Document Type

Honors Thesis

Publication Date

Spring 2015

Abstract

Restorative justice has been used in many student conduct programs at colleges and universities in the United States. Although there is a strong sense of advocacy for the implementation of campus restorative justice programs, many schools shy away from establishing such programs due to a perceived lack of additional funding, staffing, or other resources. This research examines the factors that contribute to the successful implementation of campus restorative justice programs. The theoretical framework examines the principles of participatory democracy to better understand what might motivate a campus to adopt this alternative strategy of addressing student conduct issues. Comparative analysis of surveys and interviews with schools that currently have established restorative justice programs was conducted. The phrase “restorative justice modularity” is used to describe the flexible nature of restorative justice programs, and their ability to be implemented in a range of campus settings and circumstances. Due to the flexible nature of the restorative justice programs examined in this research, implementation is possible in most colleges and universities given the right conditions of support.

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