SIRJ - Salina Initiative for Restorative Justice

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SIRJ - Salina Initiative for Restorative Justice

SIRJ is a collaborative approach to justice with better outcomes for most everyone affected by crime.

Restorative Justice lets victims confront their offenders, holds offenders accountable and involves the offender in repairing the harm.

09/27/2026

Reintegration
In order to complete the process, the community allows the person who caused harm to accept responsibility and begin the reintegration process. Reintegration encourages collaboration of the community and the person who caused harm rather than turning toward coercion and isolation. This process recognizes the assets the person who caused harm brings to the table and what they have learned through the process. By accepting responsibility and agreeing to repair the harm, the person who caused harm creates space and trust to be reintegrated into the community.

09/24/2026

Repair
After respect and responsibility have been established, the next step towards healing is the repair process. The person who caused harm is expected to repair the harm that they did to the fullest extent possible, knowing well that not all of the harm can be repaired. The repair principle replaces thoughts of revenge and punishment, instead focusing on moving forward in a more positive direction. It is through working to repair the situation that the person who caused harm is able to regain their self-respect and respect for others.

09/17/2026

Responsibility
In order for restorative justice to be effective, everyone must grapple with their own personal responsibility. We ask that everyone is honest with themselves and searches deeply in their hearts to discover how they might have had a hand in the matter. Even if the harm was unintentional, the person who caused harm needs to take responsibility for their actions. Ultimately, taking responsibility needs to be a personal choice and cannot be imposed on someone unwillingly.

09/10/2026

Respect
If relationships are at the heart of restorative justice, respect is the key ingredient to make it happen. Respect keeps the process safe. All involved parties are trusted to show respect for themselves and for others at all stages of the process. We employ deep listening, where instead of assuming we know what the speaker is going to say, we focus on what they are actually saying. Even if we disagree with their thinking, we try to understand their perspective.

09/03/2026

Relationship
At the heart of every restorative justice process is a damaged relationship. The person who caused harm has negatively impacted the lives of real people and real communities. Without strong relationships, it becomes more difficult for us to lead fulfilling lives and create communities that we want to live in. Using the Restorative Justice Community Group Conference process, we are able to mend these relationships. Once the person who caused harm becomes accountable for their actions and begins to make amends, the relationship can start to heal.

In a school setting, "Circles" might be the vehicle to build a relationship. Restorative circles in schools are structured, non-punitive group conversations where students and staff sit in a circle to build community, share perspectives, and resolve conflicts

08/31/2026

A great way to understand the Restorative Justice Community Group Conference process is to look at it through the lens of the 5 R’s: Relationship, Respect, Responsibility, Repair, and Reintegration. We will take a weekly look at each! Keep watching!

07/13/2026

Objectives of Restorative Justice in Schools

Restorative justice has been discussed in the context of schools since the late 90’s and has actually been introduced to schools nationwide in the past decade. A 2000 article by Kay Pranis listed several potential benefits of restorative justice in school, including:

Fostering problem-solving skills and a sense of community

Treating young people with sympathy and respect in order to help them develop empathy

Reducing fear and mistrust between children and adults

07/07/2026

Pros of Restorative Justice in education:
- It focuses on behavior and impact as opposed to the person and their character.
-Teaches responsibility and accountability.
-Teaches remorse and restitution.
-Builds social skills and capacity.
-Teaches effective communication.
-Promotes trust.
-Creates a safe learning environment and leads to more effective teaching.
-There is community buy-in, thus developing a collaborative community.
-Leads to less suspensions and expulsions.
-There is a drop in juvenile crime and detention (although there is no consensus on this).

07/01/2026

Restorative justice works effectively when implemented properly, particularly by reducing recidivism (reoffending) by 10% to 25% and achieving up to 85% victim satisfaction rates. It focuses on offender accountability and community healing, though success ultimately relies on skilled facilitators and the voluntary participation of all parties. How?

In Schools and Communities:

Fewer Suspensions & Arrests: Studies (such as those on the Chicago Public School system) have shown that schools using RJ practices see up to an 18% drop in out-of-school suspensions and significant reductions in student arrests.

Improved Climate: Students report feeling a greater sense of belonging and improved classroom safety, though success is heavily dependent on the program not being used as a way to avoid imposing consequences for serious disruptions.

06/24/2026

Did you know?
Restorative practice can be used anywhere to prevent conflict, build relationships and repair harm by enabling people to communicate effectively and positively. Restorative practice is increasingly being used in schools, children’s services, workplaces, hospitals, communities and the criminal justice system.

Address

PO Box 3354
Salina, KS
67402

Telephone

+17858255965

Website

http://www.sirj.org/

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