Trainings & Professional Development

The Center for Restorative Justice provides evaluation services and several different types of training. We provide assistance to communities that are exploring how restorative thinking can be applied to their situations.

What We Do

The Center for Restorative Justice provides a yearlong Restorative Justice Professional certificate program, professional development training, two-day enrollment trainings open to the public, onsite trainings, coaching, technical assistance and resources for the comprehensive holistic implementation of restorative justice practices in schools, juvenile legal system, criminal legal system, social services and community-based organizations. We offer workshops for individuals, customized onsite trainings for schools and organizations and our certificate program for individuals who aspire to lead restorative justice in their institutions, organizations or communities.

Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice Practices

The Suffolk University Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice Practices (RJP) is designed for practitioners in the fields of education, law, criminal/juvenile justice, social work and community-based conflict resolution seeking to become leaders and specialists in the implementation of Restorative Justice practices. Restorative Justice is a profound understanding about justice and its essential importance to the healthy functioning of individuals, families, communities, organizations and systems. Schools and criminal justice agencies are increasingly hiring restorative justice specialists to oversee and coordinate the implementation of restorative practices within their organization. As a skills-based applied program, the RJP certificate program equips graduates to practice, train, and lead restorative work in their chosen field.

The program blends skill/facilitation development with theoretical, cultural and spiritual understandings and strategies for organizational change, implementation and sustainability. The curriculum is designed to develop skills and application of content through hands-on experience in the field in a required 3-month practicum. Certification in Restorative Justice Practices enhances the professional skills of those currently working in education, social work, legal advocacy, social justice and juvenile/adult criminal justice. Upon completion of the Certificate in RJP participants will be equipped with the theoretical understanding, practical knowledge and leadership skills to advocate, develop, train, implement and lead restorative justice practices and programs.

Open Enrollment

For individuals interested in developing skills and practice, we offer 2-day Open Enrollment trainings and workshops in range of restorative practices. These experiential and skill-based workshops are open to the public, offered year-round and held at the Center for Restorative Justice at Suffolk University located in historic Beacon Hill in the heart of Boston. Cost is typically between $350-450 per workshop.

These workshops include:

  • Tier 1 – Circle Training and Introduction to Restorative Practices
  • Tier 2 – Addressing Conflict and Harm using Restorative Practices
  • Tier 3 – Restorative Conferencing for Discipline
  • Restorative Justice and Racial Equity
  • Restorative Justice in Classroom Pedagogy
  • Trauma-Informed Restorative Practice for Educators
  • Family-Focused Circle Training
  • Restorative Justice for Criminal Legal System Practitioners
  • Circle Training for Working Together

Onsite Training & Coaching

The Center for Restorative Justice partners with schools and agencies, providing expert guidance as they embark or continue to integrate restorative justice practices. We meet institutions where they are in their restorative justice journey, tailoring our approach to their culture, priorities, resources and needs. Drawing on evidence-informed practices from the United States and globally, the Center helps to

  • Build understanding and commitment to restorative practices across all members of the community – families and youth or organization structures, among school district leadership, administrators, teachers, guidance and support staff and school police
  • Develop a multi-year plan, with clear action steps, to successfully integrate restorative practices into staff meetings, classrooms, counseling and advisory, codes of conduct and procedures, parent and community meetings
  • Deliver on-site training in circles, conferencing and restorative discipline
  • Provide coaching to support the development of in-house restorative justice leadership teams to develop an in-house corps of restorative justice leaders
  • Support building capacity for communities, organizations and institutions to facilitate restorative interventions for serious incidents of harm