Reporting restoratively: happenings from the center for justice reform 

 

Upcoming Events:

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Reporting Restoratively:

April 2, 2020

Professor Clark discusses the vision for the new National Center on Restorative Justice, " Positive change nationally for all of our tomorrow."

April 1, 2020

National Center on Restorative Justice - https://www.vermontlaw.edu/ncrj

Vermont Law School (VLS) is proud to announce the receipt of a $3-million federal grant to create and host the National Center on Restorative Justice in South Royalton, Vt. In partnership with the University of Vermont (UVM), the University of San Diego (USD), and the U.S. Office of Justice Programs (OJP), VLS is excited to launch expanded educational opportunities and research initiatives that will shape and move forward the restorative dialogue and movement that is being seen and applied in many facets of US society from our criminal justice system to education and beyond. United States Senator Patrick Leahy, long a champion of justice reform, was instrumental in helping to secure the funding.

March 6, 2020

Growing up and living with scarcity impacts decision-making and judgment. On Friday, March 6, 50 people working in court diversion and pretrial services together with VLS students, faculty, and staff came together to learn how scarcity affects people we encounter in our current or future work. The VLS Center for Justice Reform hosted the training and co-sponsored it along with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office.

(Picture below: Scarcity Training hosted by the Center for Justice Reform and Vermont Attorney General's Office attendees)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 4, 2020

The Restorative Justice and Environmental departments hosted an Ice Cream social for fellow students, to introduce their summer courses.  Professor Stephanie Clark talked about the upcoming summer courses and the visiting Professors that would be teaching the courses. 

(Picture below: Professor Clark speaking to students about the RJ summer sessions at the ice cream social.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 1, 2020

Restorative Justice Summer Session

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 31, 2020

Race and the Law Symposium, Re-Imagining Criminal Justice in the 21st Century, co-sponsored by the Center for Justice Reform  

 

December 19, 2019

Two new courses of interest for RJ and JD students alike were approved this week by the Curriculum Committee. Race, Crime, and Restorative Justice will look at how issues of racial injustice have plagued the criminal justice system and explore how restorative justice might address some of these inequalities. Pleas, Sentencing, and Accountability will look closely at the plea bargaining and sentencing process and also have an experiential component where students prepare background reports on people awaiting sentencing to aid trial judges in reaching a fair determination. Stay tuned for details on when we will offer these two new exciting and important courses.

 

November 22, 2019

Professors Stephanie Clark and Robert Sand attended the annual conference of the New England Association of Drug Court Professionals on November 20 and 21, 2019, in Marlborough, MA. Professor Clark serves on the board of NEADCP and Professor Sand is on the advisory board. VLS was a co-sponsor of the 600 person conference.  Assistant Director of Recruitment, Shirley Hoeppner-Crawford, attended as well and explained the restorative justice programs at VLS to many interested conference attendees.  Professors Clark and Sand led a very well received conference workshop introducing restorative justice circles to treatment court professionals.

(Picture below: Professor Clark leads a circle for treatment court professionals at the New England Association of Drug Court Professionals annual conference in November 2019)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 18 , 2019

Training: The Center for Justice Reform is very pleased to host on campus RJ Practitioner, author, and renowned trainer in Circle Practices, Kay Pranis, for a week of training starting on November 18. Kay will work with environmental activists, students, faculty, and staff, and existing RJ practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of RJ circle practice.  

Internationally recognized expert in Restorative Justice Circles, Kay Pranis, led workshops the entire week of November 18 at VLS. On Monday she worked with environmental leaders. On Tuesday, she worked with VLS students, faculty, and staff. On Wednesday through Friday she led a 3-day workshop for existing Vermont RJ practitioners.  All of the sessions took place in the Cornell Seminar Room which worked wonderfully for sitting in a circle once the tables were removed. VLS was very fortunate to benefit and learn from Kay. Special thanks to Vermonter Marc Wennberg for facilitating bringing Kay to campus. Stay tuned for more trainings and workshops of a similar nature as VLS broadens its RJ outreach and educational efforts. 

Interview with Kay Pranis:  

(Picture below: Renowned RJ Cicle Trainer, Kay Pranis, presents to students, faculty and staff at VLS in November 2019)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Novermber 2019

New Approved Curriculum: Applied Criminal Justice; Peacemaking Courts; Race, Crimes & Restorative Justice; Pleas, Sentencing and Accountability

 

April 21, 2015

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, signing an expungement bill originally created by Vermont Law School graduates, Nessabeth Rooks and Karen Oelschlaeger, former students in Professor Robert Sand's Criminal Law Class. They envisioned an Earned Expungement program to encourage ex-offenders to engage in prosocial activities and reconnect with their community.