The Coalition has been active since March 2005 assisting with implementation of the Missouri Restorative Justice Initiative, the goal of which was to educate Missourians about Restorative Justice and promote its practice . Coalition members have been responsible for a proliferation of restorative justice services in the state. Over the three years of the Initiative, awareness of restorative justice has increased and additional restorative justice practices have blossomed.
--There are now 15 Juvenile Courts in the state that are utilitzing restorative justice principles and practices in the disposition of at least some of their cases.
--The Department of Corrections, in addition to its reparative program and Impact of Crime on Victims classes in the correctional facilities, is facilitating Victim Offender Dialogue in crimes of severe violence.
--The Division of Probation & Parole of the Department of Corrections, in addition to its reparative boards, is also making Impact of Crime on Victims classes available through all of its district offices.
--Several school districts in Missouri have now incorporated restorative justice practices in their curricula and in the way they are responding to disciplinary cases.
--Restorative justice practices are being used or developed in several adult courts, including Victim Impact Panels, which are being used in Lincoln and Greene Counties, and Victim/Offender Dialogues, which are being used in Greene County.
To see more about the history of the Missouri Restorative Justice Initiative and Coalition, and highlights of the Coalition's accomplishments, click here