What Is Restorative Justice?

A Working Definition by Mashaun Ali Hendricks

This is a working definition, not because RJ is vague, but because RJ grows as we practice it.
When I say RJ, I am not referring to a philosophical concept. I am speaking about the transformation that becomes possible through Circle practice, the wisdom, connection, accountability, and healing, only revealed when people come together to see one another fully.
As you read, remember: real RJ is counter-cultural, so some concepts may sound unrealistic or romanticized, but please read past the doubts and into possibility.

Restorative Justice exists across many contexts: interpersonal, homes, schools, policing, public safety, courts, society, and faith spaces. The expression shifts by setting, yet its essence remains: building and protecting relationships, and using those relationships to heal when harm occurs. What follows is a general definition; the deeper, embodied understanding is explored through my workshops and trainings.

Yes, RJ is all of the following:

• RJ is a paradigm shift in how justice is practiced from punishment only to healing-centered responses that bring together those harmed, those responsible, and the community to seek accountability and repair.

• RJ in schools is reducing suspensions, expulsions, and arrests not by force, but by strengthening relationships and connections.

• RJ in justice systems reduces recidivism, supports healthy reentry, and reimagines accountability.

• RJ in policing heals, builds trust, shares accountability, and promotes community safety.

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But in institutional settings, the time required to learn, embody, and be transformed by RJ is often unavailable. Because of this, RJ is widely misunderstood and poorly implemented. It gets watered down into scripts, policy updates, certifications without practice, and professional jargon that changes language but not culture.

 

RJ without Circle is not RJ.

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So what is Restorative Justice?
Restorative Justice is a way of being rooted in Indigenous worldviews of abundance, interdependence, and oneness, not scarcity, individualism, and competition. It is a practice that builds strong relationships before harm and repairs them after harm, so communities move toward healing instead of separation.

Restorative Justice invites us to learn one another deeply, first, because the more we know each other, the harder it is to cause harm, and the easier it is to care, remain accountable, and stay human.

It challenges the current norm where we see punishment, fear of future punishment, and separation as the solutions; suspensions, expulsions, incarceration, or killing people who violate expectations, rules, or order.

 

Instead, RJ offers a path where humans who cause harm are still seen as human and where healing becomes the measure of justice.

The Circle Process is where this philosophy becomes real.
Not theory. Not philosophy. Practice.

 

Final Thought
At its highest expression, to me, Restorative Justice is not something we do. It is something we become.

It is accountability without disposability, safety through connection, justice through healing.

In a world of separation, I truly believe it may be humanity’s last hope, not because it is simple, but because it is honest, ancient, and deeply human.

And the more we heal, the safer we all become.