Students’ Perceptions of Restorative Conferences in an Urban High School

Restorative justice practices allow students who violate school rules to face their victims and correct their offenses to repair the harm they have caused to someone or something. This study examined students’ perceptions of restorative conferences used in an urban high school. It examined students’ perceptions of the impact that restorative conferences have on students’ behavior and their rationale for that behavior. Qualitative research methods were used to collect and analyze data. This study identified three major themes a) types of behavior that caused a restorative conferences b) impact of restorative conferences on behavior c) conditions to have a positive outcome to a restorative conference. Student participants noted in this study that trust, maturity and understanding students’ moral development were essential to the results of a restorative conference