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IDST 355 Restorative Justice

This course is designed to allow students to develop a working understanding and knowledge of Restorative Justice. Restorative Justice looks at the concept of justice through nontraditional and alternative viewpoints. Rather than focus on "what is the crime, who did the crime and what should the punishment be," Restorative Justice focuses on "who has been harmed, what was the harm and who is responsible to repair the harm." Students will examine Restorative Justice from historical, sociological, criminological and psychological perspectives. Throughout the course, a wide range of specific "restorative practices" will be studied, reviewed and analyzed. Some of the concepts the course will explore are trauma and healing, conflict transformation, issues related to juvenile justice, and alternative processes such as Victim-Offender Dialogue and the Circle Process.
3 Undergraduate credits

Effective December 14, 2014 to present

Learning outcomes

General

  • Analyze current research/data on restorative responses for effectiveness, recidivism, participant satisfaction and other indices.
  • Analyze current thinking and political considerations in criminal justice responses to crime victims and offenders.
  • Demonstrate written and oral communication skills.
  • Examine and evaluate the concept of restorative justice.
  • Understand restorative justice from the perspectives of the victim, the offender, and the community.