The Little Book of Restorative Justice for Campus Sexual Harms

"""[After learning about restorative justice and attending a few trainings] I wish I could have picked this book up before trying to implement restorative justice practices at my institution. The text serves as a thoughtful and informed guidebook for university administrators and practitioners to consider when addressing sexual harm(s) in campus settings. Rachel and Mikayla invite us to engage in a self-reflective, honest dialogue about relationship violence and sexual misconduct on college campuses. Their analysis of where we fall short with institutional processes and procedures is a timely call-in to those committed to campus safety and the overall well-being of campus communities. The charge to “stray from the beaten path” and the status quo is a dynamic summon for university stakeholders to use creativity to craft and adapt practices that meet the needs of their community and institution. Looking back at my experience, I see that the missing link was the Tier 0 assessment and strategic plan, a vital step for RJ implementation. It would have helped clarify the importance and value of culture, climate, and leadership in striving for fidelity-based sustainable approaches.""  —Avery Arrington, Assistant Director, National Center on Restorative Justice     ""Rachel Roth Sawatzky and Mikayla W-C McCray offer a powerful Little Book introducing how restorative justice can be applied to campus sexual misconduct and relationship violence. Their personal voices come through and it is clear that they are both motivated to advance this work to help colleges and universities understand that they have options when students need them the most. Traditional investigatory-adjudicatory processes often leave parties wanting more; these traditional processes also rarely satisfy administrators’ goals for an intervention that truly stops the behavior, prevents its recurrence, and remedy its effects. This Little Book provides the rationale, a very helpful introduction to Title IX regulations and restorative justice, and words of wisdom from two scholar-practitioners who have lived this and studied it. Their voices are a gift to those who are interested in learning more and to those who want to join them on the journey.""  —Kaaren M. Williamsen, Director, Prevention Education, Assistance & Resources at University of Michigan, and co-editor Applying Restorative Justice to Campus Sexual Misconduct: A Guide to Emerging Practices, 2023, Routledge. Williamsen formally served as a Title IX Coordinator and Deputy Title IX Coordinator.     "