Benefits of a Whole-School Restorative Justice Model
The article “New Directions in Whole‐School Restorative Justice Implementation” by González et al. examines the specifics of implementing a restorative justice strategy within a particular high school. One of the compelling facts that the authors describe is the democratization of the implementation system involved (González et al. 207). The principle of engaging schoolchildren as direct participants in the program has made it possible to build a sustainable interaction mechanism in which the role of students is important. With this communication format, children do not feel disadvantaged and are more willing to be involved in the program.
Challenges in Implementing Whole-School Restorative Justice
Despite the success of the implementation project, some challenges were unavoidable. For instance, González et al. cite school leader graduation as a milestone that marked administrative shifts in the program, which not all students were willing to accept (213). However, as the work progressed, the corresponding changes took root and adapted to the specific needs of the school.
Another difficulty that needed to be addressed was the multi-stage control system (González et al. 2017). Along with the students, the teachers also played their respective roles and supervised the progress of the work. Nevertheless, as practice shows, due to active interaction, difficulties were successfully overcome.
The Role of Students in Restorative Justice Practices
Based on the findings, the role of students in such a program is significant. Being involved as direct practitioners, schoolchildren are an essential link in the decision-making system. According to González et al., by being aware of each other’s problems, students can efficiently find solutions to complex cases due to proximity to the direct participants in the restorative justice program (211). In addition, trust on the part of the school administration increases the loyalty of the students to the teacher’s decisions, thereby enhancing communication. Therefore, as the outcomes of the program show, schoolchildren can be trusted to directly supervise such a restorative justice program.
Work Cited
González, Thalia, et al. “New Directions in Whole‐School Restorative Justice Implementation.” Conflict Resolution Quarterly, vol. 36, no. 3, 2019, pp. 207-220.