ML 326 - Restorative Justice

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This course introduces students to the essential theories and practices of restorative justice. The course places a particular emphasis on theological and biblical justifications for a restorative approach to justice, and on contrasting restorative justice with retributive justice. Students will contrast notions of crime as a violation of law or an offense against the state with approaches that seek to address the harm done to victims, offenders, and the broader community, and to restore broken relationships. In addition to the underlying philosophical and theological justifications, students will examine current restorative justice practices around the United States and the empirical literature evaluating them, policy frameworks, and practical skills for use in every day interactions. Prerequisites: ML 101, ML 102, REL 131, ML 222 and SOC/SOWK 250 or permission of the program director