Date of Award
5-2016
Culminating Project Type
Starred Paper
Degree Name
Special Education: M.S.
Department
Special Education
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Bradley Kaffar
Second Advisor
Jerry Wellik
Third Advisor
Gary Whitford-Holey
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
Restorative, Restorative Justice, Restorative Practices, Restorative Discipline
Abstract
For decades, schools and juvenile detention systems in the United States and abroad have used punitive disciplinary practices such as detention, suspension, expulsion, and jail sentences to address adolescent misbehavior. These practices are considered to be retributive in that they serve as repayment to society in the case of detention and to act as “desertion” of society in the cases of suspension or incarceration” (Flanders, 2014, p. 328). Zero tolerance practices, touted by both educational and juvenile justice systems, have escalated the use of such practices. However, little evidence exists to support that these retributive practices have reduced the number of disruptions, fights, and other violent misbehaviors within schools (Lewis, 2009).
The need for a different approach to discipline within schools and juvenile justice systems has led many schools and juvenile justice programs to consider alternatives such as Restorative Justice. Also referred to as restorative practices, they are designed not only to change behavior, but also to “restore the environment and relationships damaged by the behavior” (Beale, 2003, p. 418). Some practitioners contend this approach results in lower rates of misbehavior and recidivism (Bradshaw & Roseborough, 2005; Lewis, 2009). The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate the efficacy of restorative justice and other restorative practices on reducing adolescent misbehavior.
Recommended Citation
Fjelstad, Zachary P., "The Efficacy of Restorative Practices on Reducing and Preventing Problem Behaviors in Adolescents" (2016). Culminating Projects in Special Education. 30.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/sped_etds/30
Comments/Acknowledgements
Thank you for the help of my committee--Dr. Bradley Kaffar, Dr. Gary Whitford-Holey, and Dr. Jerry Wellik. Also thanks to Mary Beth Noll for your guidance.