The Institute for Restorative Justice and Restorative Dialogue (IRJRD) seeks to build a national mindset that embraces restorative justice principles. Its mission is to advance meaningful accountability, community safety, and healing through the use of restorative justice solutions to build strong, empathetic relationships and repair the harm the results from conflict, crime and victimization.
Restorative Justice is a fast-growing state, national, and international relationship-centered response to conflict and wrongdoing. It gives individuals adversely affected the opportunity to be directly involved in responding to the harm. It views crime as a violation of people and interpersonal relationships that creates obligations and liabilities. Its goal is to hear and put right harm through engaging victims, offenders and community members in restorative dialogue and the creation of mutually beneficial solutions.
The Institute For Restorative Justice and Restorative Dialogue was started in 2008 as an internal institute in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas in Austin to provide support to the rapidly emerging restorative justice initiatives in Texas. In 2018, it was transitioned into a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation with offices in Weatherford, Texas. IRJRD maintains connections with its founder and former director, Dr. Marilyn Armour of UT Austin, and benefits greatly from her knowledge and expertise.
The Institute for Restorative Justice and Restorative Dialogue offers:
- Trainings at announced locations throughout Texas,
- Trainings delivered to individual schools, school districts and organizations, and
- Guidance and consultation on restorative process implementation and development.