Certificate in Restorative Justice
Repairing Harm
Rebuilding Trust
Restoring Communities
Offered as an Academic Certification
Crime is indicative of a broken relationship; therefore, Restorative Justice seeks to repair the harm caused by crime. It is about rebuilding relationships. A central practice of restorative justice is a collaborative decision-making process that includes harmed parties, people who have caused harm, and others who are seeking active accountability. Instead of asking what law was broken, who broke it, and what punishment is warranted (as the current CJ system does), restorative justice asks who was harmed and how do we repair that harm- to the community, the victim, and the offender.
Restorative Justice aims to redirect society’s retributive response to crime. It blends the theoretical with the practical in a holistic application of content and practice. This is the future of the criminal justice system and the CCJ department at SOU is excited to prepare our students with the skills and principles based on mutual respect, inclusivity, and community resiliency.
Foundational:
Specific:
This certificate is intended to give students who are interested in learning the principles and practices of restorative justice and its application as an alternative to punitive retributive justice. Topics include the history and theory of restorative justice, contributions of traditional and indigenous approaches to justice, and applications for programs and policies.
Students will learn through experiential learning, collaborative dialog, and group facilitation. The focus is on developing the skills necessary for facilitating restorative dialogues. Students will develop skills for both “restorative circles” and “restorative conferences.”
SOU Criminal Justice Program
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6508
– Questions About Criminology? –
