<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.
What is Restorative Justice? Contact Us

Important News and Events

  • Video Available: Healing Harm through Restorative Justice and the Role of the Community

    Tuesday May 28, 2024, 6–8 pm The Dispute Resolution Center and Friends of Restorative Justice presented Fred Van Liew, a pioneer and practitioner in the work of restorative justice speaking on “Healing Harm through Restorative Justice and the Role of the Community”. Fred Van Liew spoke about his experiences using restorative justice in multiple contexts including serious crimes for juveniles and adults. He has creatively adapted restorative justice to process cases involving welfare fraud, shoplifting, and drunk driving, sometimes using a community surrogate in dialog with the person who caused the harm. This event was recorded in person at the Ypsilanti District Library, Whittaker Branch Community Room, 5577 Whittaker Road, Ypsilanti, MI. The event is part of the “A Case for Restorative Justice” Education Series.

  • 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.

  • 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…