Restorative Justice Implementation Issues & Solutions in K-12 Schools

After zero-tolerance discipline policies and other nationwide anti-bullying and anti- substance abuse programs were proven ineffective by the turn of the Century, restorative justice practices in K-12 schools have since grown in popularity in the United States. Current research and student outcomes concur that restorative practices reduce overall suspension rates, increase attendance, and improve school climate and safety. While a growing number of resources are available for schools wishing to implement restorative practices, there are limited studies and consensus on what specific challenges schools will face during implementation and what the best practices are in overcoming them. The available literature presents three major obstacle areas that schools encounter in implementation: 1) creating a school-wide restorative culture, 2) power dynamics and interpersonal politics, and 3) youth and their attraction to violence. To examine the validity of these obstacle areas, this thesis analyses qualitative data from six interviews with school administrators and a university researcher working with restorative justice initiatives in schools. My thesis presents insights on specific issues within these three obstacle areas to pinpoint where my interviews confirmed or disagreed with the research. My overall analysis found that the first two obstacle areas were largely confirmed by my ground-level interviews while the third obstacle area was largely disconfirmed as a universal issue. Additionally, this thesis presents insights into unexpected and undocumented implementation issues. I conclude with potential areas for further study and recommendations for schools in the implementation process.