<strong>Friends of Restorative Justice</strong>

Friends of Restorative Justice

Bringing Restorative Justice to Washtenaw County, Michigan and Beyond

Our Mission: to pursue a balanced and restorative approach to crime and conflict. This approach promotes justice, reparation, and resolution for people and communities that have been harmed; addresses accountability and personal development for people who have caused harm; supports reintegration into a full community life; and treats all involved parties with respect.

Our Vision: We envision a humane system of justice that respects the basic dignity and value of every person, whether they were harmed by crime or conflict or whether they caused the harm, a justice system that restores rather than punishes. We seek a community where those in conflict know they have the option to repair the harm through restorative justice.

Important News and Events

  • Video Available: Expanding the Vision of Restorative Justice with Fred Van Liew

    Fred Van Liew spoke on “Expanding the Vision of Restorative Justice” on February 8, 2024. Many of you may know Fred from earlier days of Friends of Restorative Justice. As former prosecutor in Des Moines Iowa, Fred was a pioneer in the work of restorative justice. These days he works in different parts of the country looking at how these restorative practices can be used to address all levels of crime. He helped shape and inspire Friends of Restorative Justice and helped bring restorative justice to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office. A video recording of the discussion can be found at the Friends of Restorative Justice YouTube channel. This was the fifth presentation in the “A Case for Restorative Justice” series. A playlist including the full series of recordings can also be found on the Friends of Restorative Justice YouTube channel.

  • Expanding Restorative Justice in Michigan

    An article in the Michigan Bar Journal describes progress bringing restorative justice to the Michigan legal system. It highlights Washtenaw County and mentions Friends of Restorative Justice as leaders. The author, Christina Hines, is an assistant Washtenaw County prosecutor and is running for Macomb County Prosecutor.

  • Video Available: Restorative Justice in Illinois

    A video recording of the recent panel discussion, “Restorative Justice in Illinois: State Legislation and Community Court in Cook County” is now available on YouTube. This was the fourth presentation by Friends of Restorative Justice and the Dispute Resolution Center in the “A Case for Restorative Justice” Education Series. A playlist including the full series of recordings can also be found on the Friends of Restorative Justice YouTube channel.

  • Video Available: Intersectionality of Mental Disorders, Incarceration, and Restorative Justice

    A video recording of the recent panel discussion, “Intersectionality of Mental Disorders, Incarceration, and Restorative Justice” is now available on YouTube. This was the third presentation by Friends of Restorative Justice and the Dispute Resolution Center in the series, “A Case for Restorative Justice Education Series”. A playlist including the full series of recordings can also be found on the Friends of Restorative Justice YouTube channel.

Read a complete list of news and events