Applied Research on Restorative Practices

Applied Research on Restorative Practice
Problem background and context
Many schools across the globe are currently applying restorative practice. According to Calhoun (2013), there has been much success since the schools introduced this practice. Some of the successful schools have even proceeded to train other schools and institutions. Restorative practice constitutes diverse aspects, whose impact can influence a number of fields in the education sector such as conflict resolution, truancy, behavioral management and mediation (Hemphill et al., 2014). Restorative practice calls for ownership by everyone involved. This promotes mutual responsibility and this creates such an atmosphere in which resolution can occur.
Bolitho (2012) states that managing student misbehavior is one of the most crucial issues facing most schools across the world. The current approach in discipline is quite punitive, so to say. Many schools tend to apply zero tolerance policies. Though well intended, such policies have not yielded good results. In fact, they have done more harm than good. Skiba (2013) asserts that such policies have led to a rise in the number of expulsions and suspensions, especially over the last 20 years.
Suspension and expulsion have been used in schools as punishment for students who violate certain laid down rules. The rate of suspensions and expulsions has doubled since the 1970s. Misbehaving students are mostly given out-of-school suspensions (Calhoum, 2013). This form of punishment is not the best, given the negative and long-lasting impact it has on students. Some of these impacts are: higher incidences of academic failure, high number of school dropouts, drug and substance abuse, and unnecessary fights, among others. This has led to many schools abandoning the zero tolerance policies, and adopting restorative justice to instil discipline in the school going students (Perry & Morris, 2014). Restorative justice considers the person who has been harmed, and not the laws which have been broken. It also looks at the losses suffered by the victim instead of concentrating on the offender.
Purpose of the study
Restorative practices are categorized under social justice. Thus, social workers are one of the most important advocates for students. They have a duty to uphold social justice (Perry & Morris, 2014). They therefore need to stay updated on current trends in restorative practice. Once they have a deep understanding of these practices, they can implement the same on the students as a sound approach to discipline. (Hemphill et al., 2014). They also require the necessary skills and training to advocate for this form of discipline.
The main aim of my study is to determine the vital steps to building a fostering environment for learners in the classroom. Connection between the students and the teachers is one important thing. Restorative practices help create this time for connection, between the students themselves as well as between the students and the teachers. It becomes quite confusing to hold a restorative conference for some serious case while still acting punitively to conflicts. Young people need a complete trust in the staff in order for them to embrace the restorative approach. This of course holds when the students are honest enough to disclose what wrongs they have done. Hiding one’s wrong doings does not work with restorative practices. This study will also compare the restorative approach with the zero tolerance practices, and deduce which one is more beneficial. Thus, this study will analyse the effectiveness of some of the restorative practices used in schools. The findings are seen to adequately equip the social workers in their course of promoting justice.
Research questions
The following are the main questions this study will seek to answer:
1. What is restorative justice? What is the importance of restorative justice? A study on restorative justice will address the needs of the students within the school community. Restorative practice is meant to resolve conflicts among students, and teach the same students to be responsible and accountable, in such a way that they can reason rationally before engaging in any scrupulous deed. Restorative justice also brings back positive relationships between previously conflicting parties.
2. What is the difference between restorative justice and other forms of discipline?
3. How can we prevent offender recidivism through restorative practices?
4. How can relationships be strengthened through restorative practices?
Literature Review
It is common place for students in U.S. schools who disrupt the ideal classroom environment, or who endanger other classmates, to be temporarily suspended or permanently expelled. This need to reduce conflict and student misbehavior in schools has been a recurring problem, for many years on end. Worse still, the methods used to deal with such misbehavior have not been successful. Quite a number of authors have justified the need for suspension and expulsion for students who threaten the peace of others.
Going back through time, restorative practices were effectively applied in both indigenous and spiritual traditions. This fact has led many countries to opt for restorative practice, instead of the other retributive methods. This is because of the positive results that usually accompany restorative justice (Calhoun, 2013). For instance, Australia changed from corporal punishment to the use of suspensions and expulsions, and has now adopted restorative methods on students who misbehave in a harmful way.
The adoption of restorative methods can however not be wholly credited to the ancient traditions. The criminal justice system has also applied the restorative methods, and this might have influenced its adoption into the school system. There is this story of how two Canadian youths were presented before their victims after vandalizing them, that is in 1970 (Bolitho, 2012). The two didn’t have any court hearing. This was reported to be indeed successful. This and many other examples have influenced educational institutions to adopt the restorative practices. Local councils have also ascertained the benefits of this form of conflict resolution. In fact, some local councils have taken it upon themselves to act as restorative authorities and implement the practice in schools and other institutions. (Kalimeris & Borrelli, 2013).
Contemporary context
Stories of success can be said to have played a great role in influencing schools to adopt restorative practices. Not only schools but also other local authorities. Their motives behind adopting restorative approaches are however different. There is also lack of uniformity across the different institutions that have adopted this restorative approach. This is explained in details by Bolitho (2012), who finds differences in the agenda of all the parties tasked with enforcing restorative justice in schools. One common interest is that of building emotional and social intelligence, and this has really fuelled the spread of this restorative practice. Schools have even gone to the extent of employing learning mentors to uphold the students emotionally, in an effort to develop all-rounded individuals. (Calhoun, 2013).
Why should we engage in restorative practice? Bolitho (2012) says the main reason is to combat unbecoming behaviour in the society and its effects. This is definitely witnessed in many schools. Restorative practices seek to positively impact both the victim and culprit of negative behaviour. When a school employs restorative practices, the number of expulsions and suspensions is greatly reduced. Bolitho (2012) however asserts that moving from the punitive approach to restorative justice is a complex process. He says that desire alone is not enough, nor the existence of success stories.
Methodology
Use of Questionnaires
For the purpose of this study, questionnaires will be given to pupils in a number of schools. This is after all the staff at X primary school have been given a baseline questionnaire. This baseline questionnaire will help in the design of the main questionnaire to be filled by pupils. The baseline questionnaire will basically deal with the impact of restorative justice on the staff. The second questionnaire will further seek to gauge the effectiveness of restorative practice on the students, and whether it leads to a positive behavioral change. Before giving out the questionnaires, the questions will be tested on someone with knowledge on this topic of research. This will appropriately be followed by a school-wide questionnaire, seeking to find out what questions the students would like to discuss. Involving the students this way will in turn promote their participation.
Study design and implementation, and tools for data gathering
1. Opening the circle - I will have the students stand in a circle with no furniture in between them. In case they prefer doing this while seated, the students can arrange their desks in a circle. The facilitator will then officially declare the circle open.
2. Time to contemplate - This can be done by help of a personal script or an outsourced one. Apps such as “Calm”, YouTube or “Headspace” can also come in handy.
3. The facilitator will then elaborate the purpose of the circle. For instance, the facilitator may choose to discuss the impact of Hurricane Harvey. He should state why he has chosen this particular talking piece. He should also inform the pupils on the importance of the chosen talking piece. (McNeill et al., 2016)
4. Establish circle guidelines - The pupils should especially be briefed on the importance of speaking form the heart and telling the whole truth without hiding anything. They should then try to forget about the pain they went through when Hurricane Harvey stroke, and listen from their hearts. Each speaker should be given enough time to empty what is in their hearts. But again, this should be done with conciseness so that one does not eat much into the next person’s time.
Reporting and dissemination
Data from the respective studies will be collected and coded. The next step will be to review and analysis of the data. The data will then be classified by institutions, where the restorative practices were carried out. These include the secondary schools, primary schools, and other institutions of learning. Under each school, the data will be presented under the following headers:
- Use of restorative practices
- Implementation of restorative practices
- Effectiveness of restorative practices


References
Bolitho, J. (2012). Restorative Justice: The Ideals and Realities of Conferencing for Young People. Critical Criminology, 20 (1), 61-78.
Calhoun, A. (2013). Introducing Restorative Justice: Re-Visioning Responses to Wrongdoing. Prevention Researcher, 20 (1), 3-6.
Hemphill, S. A., Plenty, S. M., Herrenkohl, T. I., Toumbourou, J. W., & Catalano, R. F. (2014). Student and school factors associated with school suspension: A multilevel analysis of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States. Children and Youth Review, 36, 187-194.
Kalimeris, G., & Borrelli, A. (2013). School Suspensions- from Crisis to Opportunity. Relational Child and Youth Care Practice, 26 (4), 77-79.
Perry, B. L., & Morris, E. W. (2014). Suspending Progress: Collateral Consequences of Exclusionary Punishment in Public Schools. American Sociological Review, 79(6), 1067-1087.
Skiba, R. J. (2013). Reaching a Critical Juncture for Our Kids: The Need to Reassess School Justice Practices. Family Court Review, 51 (3), 380-387.