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Restorative Justice Makes Exponential Impact on Students
Courts, schools, and communities are increasingly integrating restorative justice (RJ) processes as alternatives to punitive methods of discipline and conflict resolution. RJ processes involve all persons involved and affected by an incident, with their supporters, to hold wrongdoers accountable and collectively develop a plan to address the harm and prevent it from happening again.
During the Fall semester 2024, Nancy Schertzing, Director of Restorative Approaches in Education for C-DRUM, joined the MLAW faculty leading a new course, Restorative Justice to the Power of 3: Philosophy, Principles and Practices in the World (RJP3). This interactive, experience-based course equipped students to resolve conflict and bring healing to situations throughout their lives. Over 16 weeks of class, students gained a deeper understanding of restorative principles, facilitated circles, and discussed the role of healing harm within systems of justice and communities.
Aquib Mokaddem, Criminology and Criminal Justice senior at University of Maryland College Park, described how the course and particularly the guest speakers impacted him. “[The guest speakers] shared stories of youth who, instead of being further stigmatized, were given the chance to make amends and rebuild trust with their families and communities. This approach makes me think about the power of empathy in justice—how understanding a person’s background, context, and potential can create real change. I felt inspired by the hope their program gives youth to see themselves as capable of positive transformation, rather than simply offenders.”
RJP3 is offered through the MLAW program—a collaboration between Carey School of Law and the University of Maryland, College Park under the MPower umbrella. Through MLAW, students can evaluate and interact with a wide range of legal communities as they prepare for law school and fulfilling legal careers. For their capstone project, the RJP3 students developed their own style and facilitation skills which they applied in running their own circle outside of class. Their circles addressed issues ranging from family finances, independent study conflicts, the experience of neurodiversity, sorority ranking systems, to book banning, and keeping college apartments clean.
The students found the class beneficial to their overall college experience and building relationships. Government and Politics sophomore, Ava Morrow, describes her circle experience, “the space itself is positive, so people feel safe to express themselves and their feelings which creates a sense of vulnerability necessary for relationship building.” And Government and Politics senior, Miral Mohamed, explained, “After this class, I feel incredibly close with my fellow students. I feel as though I can comfortably approach them in public, and don't have to shy away from a 'hello' or 'how are you'. I usually find cultivating friendships so difficult, but I realize my comfortability and calm energy around new individuals was because I saw their vulnerability and open nature and I mirrored it and was able to cultivate deeper understandings of those around me.”
Watch what students had to say about the impact RJP3 had on their lives and academic pursuits here. In addition to the new course at University of Maryland College Park, Maryland Carey Law students are also exploring similar issues in the Restorative Justice course taught by Vice Dean Deborah Thompson Eisenberg. The Restorative Justice course is part of the law school’s dispute resolution program. To stay up to date on C-DRUM’s restorative justice work, follow @C-DRUM on LinkedIn.