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Cited by 185Education Discipline and InequalityCriminal Justice and PenologyBullying, Victimization, and Aggression

Use of Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices at School: A Systematic Literature Review

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Lodi, Ernesto, Perrella, Lucrezia, Lepri, Gian Luigi, Scarpa, Maria Luisa, Patrizi, Patrizia·2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
DOI 10.3390/ijerph19010096PMC PMC8751228
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Abstract

Background: In recent years, the use of restorative justice (RJ) and restorative practices (RP) in schools has grown rapidly. Understanding how theory and research address this topic is important for its practical implementation based on scientific knowledge. The aim of this article was to analyse the practices derived from RJ implemented in school and what kinds of results have been achieved. Starting from the analysis of the qualitative and quantitative research in the field, a systematic review was conducted on the last decade of studies using RJ and RP at every level of school education. Methods: For this review, methods including the PRISMA guidelines, the PRISMA flow diagram, and qualitative synthesis were carried out. Scientific articles for the literature review were selected according to the following criteria: (1) publication date between the years 2010–2021; (2) student population aged 6–18 years; (3) publications in the English language; (4) articles directly accessible or accessible by contacting the author(s); 34 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results: The most used RP in school are circles (n = 26), followed by restorative conferences (n = 17), peer mediation (n = 10), restorative conversations (n = 8), mediation (n = 7), community-building circles (n = 5). RP can improve the school climate, discipline, positive conflict management through actions that aim at preventing suspensions, exclusions, conflicts, and misbehaviours (e.g., bullying). RJ practices promote positive relationships between peers and between students and teachers, as well as to prosocial behaviours through the development of social and emotional skills. Conclusions: From the studies examined, a great interest in applying restorative justice and practices in schools clearly emerged. Discussions on the benefits and challenges of implementation were provided. However, there is still limited evidence in terms of direct correlation, which suggests further studies on the impact of RJ and RP in school settings.

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Crossref · 10.3390/ijerph19010096

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  • Punitive approaches typically do not address the root causes of misbehaviour and focus instead on punishment as a corrective measure.

    “This change highlights the limitations of punitive approaches, which typically do not address the root causes of misbehaviour and focus instead on punishment as a corrective measure.”

    From Are Pre-Service Teachers Receiving Quality Mentoring in Rural Schools? A Synopsis from Research in South Africa (2026) · cites this paper as [85]

    The Introduction (§1.2; page unavailable) describes punitive school methods as suspensions and expulsions used to enforce order, supporting the claim that they focus on punishment. It does not state that these methods typically fail to address the root causes of misbehaviour; that part goes beyond the source. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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  • There is a notable shift in educational discipline management away from punitive measures toward restorative practices.

    “However, there is a notable shift in educational discipline management, moving away from punitive measures toward restorative practices [85].”

    From Are Pre-Service Teachers Receiving Quality Mentoring in Rural Schools? A Synopsis from Research in South Africa (2026) · cites this paper as [85]

  • Restorative practices emphasise fostering prosocial behaviours through accountability, relationship building, and community repair, aiming to create safe school environments that support well-being.

    “In contrast, restorative practices emphasise fostering prosocial behaviours through accountability, relationshipbuilding, and community repair, ultimately aiming to create safe school environments that support well-being [85].”

    From Are Pre-Service Teachers Receiving Quality Mentoring in Rural Schools? A Synopsis from Research in South Africa (2026) · cites this paper as [85]

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1 of the 61 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. [3]Wright M. Restoring Respect for Justice Waterside Press Winchester, UK 1999
  2. [5]McCold P. Wachtel T. In Pursuit of Paradigm: A Theory of Restorative Justice Proceedings of the XIII World Congress of Criminology Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 10–15 August 2003 International Institute for Restorative Practices Bethlehem, PA, USA Available online: http://www.iirp.edu/pdf/paradigm.pdf (accessed on 7 June 2021)
  3. [8]Zehr H. A Restorative Lens, in Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice Herald Press Waterloo, ON, Canada 1990 177 214
  4. [11]Wright M. Towards a Restorative Society: A Problem-Solving Response to Harm Cambridge University Press London, UK 2010
  5. [12]EFRJ (European Forum for Restorative Justice) Expanding the restorative imagination. Restorative justice between realities and visions in Europe and beyond Proceedings of the 10th International EFRJ Conference Tirana, Albania 14–16 June 2018
  6. [19]McCold P. A Barebones Causal Theory of Restorative Justice Proceedings of the IIRP’s 6th International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices Penrith, New South Wales, Australia 3–5 March 2005 International Institute for Restorative Practices Bethlehem, PA, USA Available online: www.realjustice.org (accessed on 7 June 2021)

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Authors
Lodi, E., Perrella, L., Lepri, G. L., Scarpa, M. L., & Patrizi, P.
Affiliations
University of Sassari (IT)
Corresponding author
Lodi, Ernesto
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2021-12-23
Volume
19
Issue
1
Pages
96
ISSN
1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ijerph19010096
PMC
PMC8751228
OpenAlex
W4200147015
Cited by
185
References
61
Citations by year
2026: 56 · 2025: 57 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 9
FWCI
4.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UnissResearch (Università degli Studi di Sassari) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Università degli Studi di Sassari (FAR 2020)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Education Discipline and Inequality
  • Social Sciences › Law › Criminal Justice and Penology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
Keywords
restorative justice, restorative practices, schools, student discipline, bullying prevention, school climate, teacher-student relationship, peer relationships, prosocial behavior, socioemotional skills, student misbehavior, school exclusion
MeSH terms
Humans, Peer Group, Schools, Social Justice, Students, Bullying

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