Restorative Circles Program at an At-Risk High School: Student Perspectives

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: Risks, Student Supports, and Resiliency

Abstract

Restorative Justice programs have recently gained attention in the educational field in the United States but evaluation research is severely lacking. The current study evaluated a two-year-old Restorative Circles program in a high-risk high school in an Eastern state. Restorative Circles are a facilitated dialogue process used for addressing conflict; the program evaluated in this study is based on a model developed in Brazilian favelas by Dominic Barter and colleagues. Archival program data, student surveys and student interviews were collected and analyzed using a case study and qualitative thematic/content analysis. Descriptive details about the program are given along with student perspectives of the program and recommendations for improvement. Results add to the limited literature on Restorative programs in educational settings.

Authors

• Lily Ortega, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Elaine Shpungin

• Mikhail Lyubansky