Communication is key. It connects people and creates successful relationships in every aspect of life. Restorative justice is built on the foundation of communication. Due to colonialism, capitalism and power, restorative justice is relatively new to the West but its practices are as ancient as humanity, rooted in indigenous knowledge and communities. Gaining recent popularity, Michigan State University (MSU) has been successfully resolving conflicts among students and staff with restorative justice since 2011.

From July 8-10, 2024, MSU’s department of Student Life & Engagement (SLE) and Office of Student Support and Accountability (OSSA) hosted the 10th annual Restorative Justice symposium and two-day training at Brody Hall. Attendees from across Michigan and various backgrounds, including those from the University of Michigan, MSU, K-12 educators and others outside education participated in the event.

What is Restorative Justice?

Rick Shafer, associate director of OSSA coordinated the Restorative Justice Symposium and training. Each year, the event highlights different societal issues where restorative justice could help such as bullying, discrimination and harassment. It addresses a range of wrongdoings, including delinquent or criminal behavior. Restorative justice originates from ancient indigenous practices from around the world, including but not limited to New Zealand, Hawaii, Canada and the U.S. It focuses on the needs of harmed parties, rather than the rights of those responsible for wrongdoing.

Restorative justice views wrongdoing as violation of people and interpersonal relationships, creating an obligation for the offender to make amends and repair any harm done. Instead of following bureaucratic rules that hinder discussions, restorative justice emphasizes accountability through talking circles and conferences. These methods involve sitting in an open circle, with no barriers between participants, to ensure a consistent flow of communication and attention.

Talking circles are used when multiple participants feel wronged or harmed. A facilitator guides the discussion with talking pieces, allowing participants to speak in turn. Conferences on the other hand, follow a more formal script, involving a clear victim and offender, and are used when participants are highly emotional or potentially volatile and need structure. Ultimately, restorative justice seeks to answer three questions: What happened? Who was affected? How do we make it right?

Symposium and Training Overview 

The symposium was an all-day event held in a large open circle, starting with a brief introduction to restorative justice, including what it is and what it is not. Guest speakers then discussed the intersection of restorative justice and its application in areas such as bullying and sexual assault. Participants engaged in conversations, shared stories and posed questions in small groups. They also practiced intake sessions through role-playing exercises to better understand the experiences of those involved in restorative justice events, discussing what happened and how they felt.  

The following two-day training involved sharing, connecting, emoting and discussing the use of restorative justice in cases of sexual misconduct. It was conducted in an open circle, where a talking piece was passed around to ensure everyone could contribute to the discussion. Speakers then presented slides, statistics, book excerpts and video testimonials, then opened the floor to a question and answer session. Participants engaged in the role-playing exercises again, including another intake interview and talking circle, where they played the party that was harmed and the party responsible for the harm. This exercise allowed participants to experience the discomfort of such situations. They concluded by discussing their feelings and lessons learned from the experience. 

Evoking Indignation and Hope

Charlie Root, operations manager for Strategic Communication, was familiar with restorative justice as a buzzword before attending the symposium and training. Now, Root applies it as a philosophy in various aspects of his life, including at home with his family.

During the training, Root played the role of a woman whose ex-boyfriend exploited pictures of her feet on Instagram. As a cisgender white man, Root felt hesitant and uncomfortable, worried he wouldn’t be able to convey the magnitude of her anger. This exercise provided Root with a new perspective in a space to workshop his feelings and openly communicate about the microaggressions and hardships women face. The group addressed the harm done to the woman and the lack of closure the man felt, working to find a solution to repair damage and move forward.

Restorative justice requires extensive follow-ups to effectively address actions and harm to help individuals heal and move forward. Due to the amount of time and costly manner to facilitate discussions, restorative justice is often overlooked. However, Root strongly believes in practicing a system that holds people accountable while treating them with respect, which restorative justice provides.

Studies show that even when someone wins a legal case, they often still feel hurt and damaged. Compensation for emotional damage doesn’t necessarily help the person harmed to heal or guarantee the person responsible fully understands the repercussions of their actions. The event showed Root there is more than one way to address a problem, often leading to better outcomes for everyone involved.

“Punishment and retribution in doing something wrong as the only tool seems like a disservice to all of us,” said Root. “Learn from it, grow from it and get back into society.”

Looking forward, Root also feels hopeful restorative justice will be further implemented into society due to the growing advocacy for its principles, and he believes it will greatly benefit any community that practices it.

I Am Because You Are

Shafer began studying and practicing restorative justice in 2006. He lives by the ancient African word “ubuntu,” which translates to “I am because you are.” It means one doesn’t exist without the other; everything one person does affects another — the good and the bad. It stems from the practice of viewing oneself as part of a community to behave differently, responsible for each other's learning and recognizing they’re part of a whole. To Shafer, accepting the idea of restorative justice means people are connected, accountable and responsible to one another.

Restorative justice makes Shafer feel human, unlike traditional consequences that are built on stoicism, lack of information and strict facts, restorative justice welcomes and encourages expression of emotion. It’s a form of justice that prioritizes the needs of those affected rather than who did the harm. Shafer implements restorative justice at work and at home with his family. By doing so he has created a welcoming positive work environment where everyone on his team chooses to commute to the office each Thursday for their weekly lunch outing. Some drive over an hour from Detroit.

“Restorative justice affects who I am and how I am everywhere all the time,” said Shafer. “My wife and two sons would say I’m a better person from it. It’s not a new thing and the world would be a better place practicing it.”

For Shafer, practicing and implementing restorative justice has been a lifelong journey, full of learning and unlearning. To discover more about restorative justice, visit ossa.msu.edu/restorative-justice or contact rj@msu.edu.

Author: Olivia Williams, student communications assistant