Restorative Justice Singing Tree at Aims Middle School in Oakland, California. A project with Restorative Justice for Oakland youth RJOY.

"Criminal Justice sees crime as broken laws and justice as punishment.  Restorative justices sees crime as broken lives and justice as healing. Forgiveness is neither required or guaranteed in Restorative Justice.  Nor is it a determinant of success.  Success happens in well-prepared and well-facilitated encounters where persons who have been harmed feel safe enough to freely share their stories and express their needs and persons causing harm tell the truth, express remorse and responsibility and offer reparations.  Success continues when all parties together fashion a plan to repair harm that is actually carried out.  This may - or may not - lead to forgiveness.  Either way, Restorative Justice has done its job."

Fania Davis, The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice (Davis founded Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth)