National Center on Restorative Justice (NCRJ)

Vermont Law School (VLS) is a private, independent institution of higher education, fully accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). VLS, in partnership with the University of Vermont (UVM), the University of San Diego (USD), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), established the National Center on Restorative Justice (NCRJ) at VLS to improve criminal justice policy and practice by broadening the understanding of justice systems and restorative principles and approaches for undergraduate and graduate students, and justice professionals through curriculum development and expanded training opportunities, while expanding educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals and treatment court participants; all with a research and evaluation overlay. VLS and its partners will manage NCRJ through an operational model to provide a continuous cycle of successfully achieving greater objectives and deliverables. Since its inception, the NCRJ has designated a Director, launched a national search for an Assistant Director, expanded RJ course offerings, convened its Advisory Board, conferred with OJP contacts, enhanced campus space for RJ practices, recruited new RJ faculty, started planning for the RJ Institutes, and initiated planning and evaluation of the efficacy of RJ education. Management funds will support NCRJs leadership structure, expand RJ graduate level offerings, broaden educational opportunities for incarcerated people and treatment court participants, and promote skill-based semi-annual RJ institutes and regular Community Academies for citizens, professionals, and public safety officials. The grant also supports a new partnership with the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice to create best practice standards for understanding and implementing restorative principles. VLS, with its partners, is poised to manage the NCRJ, aware of the responsibilities attendant to being national in scope while maintaining fidelity to restorative principles.