Connecting restorative justice with gender-responsive programming

Abstract

This article reports on the development and use of restorative circles for delinquent girls. Our study focused on a program unique in its goal of blending restorative justice with gender-responsive philosophies and practices. The Amicus Girls Restorative Justice program involved two populations: serious or chronically offending girls at a residential treatment facility and girls on probation or in juvenile detention. Using participant observation and interviews, we demonstrate that restorative gender-responsive programming is still in its infancy, as major elements of restorative justice were absent from one of these sites. The program still serves as an instructive example of a recent innovation, demonstrating that when the vision of restorative gender-responsive programming is most fully actualized, it provides tremendous benefits to girls involved in the justice system.