Restorative Justice Program Conference

The Restorative Justice Program conference is a productive, reparative approach to discipline in which a conference is held between a Restorative Justice Program facilitator and the offender/offenders to discuss mistakes, reflect constructively and move forward in a decisive manner.

The first step of conferencing is the pre-conference. The pre-conference is facilitated by an Restorative Justice Program facilitator and the offender/offenders, victim/victims separately to establish criteria for a successful conference. The offender/offenders must admit to wrongdoing before the conference can be held. 

The second step is the conference itself. The goal of the conference is to repair the harm that has been done and to move forward without shame. There is an intended script that is strictly followed by the facilitator. At the end of the conference all parties come to an agreement and it is signed by all participants.

San Mateo Union High School District has begun to integrate Restorative Justice Program conferencing in collaboration with the current discipline model. Several deans have attended a two day International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) conference on the Restorative Justice Program model of discipline. Restorative Justice Program conferencing has been implemented at a majority of our school sites and has been proven to be an effective intervention tool for student success.