Introduction
Restorative justice represents a paradigm shift in how societies respond to harm, conflict, and wrongdoing. Unlike retributive approaches that focus primarily on punishment, restorative justice emphasizes healing relationships, repairing harm, and rebuilding community connections. This philosophy draws on indigenous practices from cultures worldwide while incorporating modern applications across criminal justice, education, community building, workplace settings, and international peacemaking efforts.
The development of restorative justice as a global movement has been shaped by practitioners, scholars, advocates, policymakers, and community leaders who have worked to transform how justice is conceptualized and implemented. From indigenous elders who preserved traditional peacemaking practices to pioneering academics who developed theoretical frameworks, from grassroots activists who implemented community-based programs to lawmakers who created policy alternatives, the field’s evolution reflects diverse contributions across cultures, disciplines, and contexts.
The following list highlights 100 influential individuals who have shaped restorative justice through their advocacy, scholarship, practice, leadership, and innovation. These individuals represent various eras, cultural backgrounds, professional disciplines, and geographic regions, collectively illustrating how restorative approaches have gained recognition as powerful alternatives to punitive systems in addressing harm, promoting accountability, and rebuilding relationships.
Indigenous Leaders and Traditional Practice Keepers
1.Rupert Ross
Canadian Crown Attorney who worked extensively with First Nations communities and authored “Returning to the Teachings: Exploring Aboriginal Justice.” Ross’s work documenting indigenous justice practices helped bridge traditional approaches with Western legal systems and expanded understanding of restorative principles rooted in indigenous wisdom.
2.Fania Davis
Civil rights attorney, restorative justice practitioner, and founder of Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY). Drawing on both Western and indigenous approaches, Davis has been instrumental in implementing restorative practices in schools and communities while highlighting connections between restorative justice and racial healing.
3.Robert Yazzie
Former Chief Justice of the Navajo Nation who articulated the philosophy and practice of Navajo peacemaking (Hózh̨óji Naat’aanii) for wider audiences. Yazzie’s leadership helped preserve and revitalize indigenous justice practices while demonstrating their relevance to contemporary legal challenges.
4.Judge Barry Stuart
Canadian judge who pioneered the integration of First Nations circle processes into the formal justice system through the development of “sentencing circles” in the Yukon Territory. Stuart’s work demonstrated how indigenous wisdom could inform and transform Western judicial practices.
5.Harley Eagle
Dakota/Húŋkpapȟa consultant and educator who has taught indigenous approaches to conflict resolution and healing. Eagle’s work connects traditional practices with contemporary applications while addressing historical trauma and colonization.
6.Moana Jackson (1945-2022)
Māori lawyer and activist who advocated for the recognition of Māori justice practices in New Zealand. Jackson’s scholarship on indigenous sovereignty and justice influenced the development of family group conferencing and other restorative approaches in New Zealand.
7.Marge Anderson (1932-2013)
Former Chief Executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe who supported the integration of traditional practices into tribal justice systems. Anderson’s leadership helped preserve and revitalize indigenous approaches to addressing harm and maintaining community harmony.
8.Joan Pennell
Social work professor who helped develop the Family Group Decision Making model in partnership with Māori communities in New Zealand. Pennell’s work has been instrumental in adapting indigenous practices for use in child welfare and family violence contexts.
9.Ada Pecos Melton
Member of Jemez Pueblo and President of American Indian Development Associates, who has worked to strengthen tribal justice systems through the integration of traditional practices. Melton’s research and advocacy have helped document and preserve indigenous approaches to justice.
10.James Sa’ke’j Youngblood Henderson
Research Director of the Native Law Centre of Canada and member of the Chickasaw Nation who has documented indigenous legal traditions. Henderson’s scholarship has expanded understanding of restorative principles embedded in Native American and First Nations governance systems.
Pioneering Theorists and Scholars
11.Howard Zehr
Often called the “grandfather of restorative justice” in the United States, Zehr’s books “Changing Lenses” and “The Little Book of Restorative Justice” have been foundational texts in the field. As Distinguished Professor at Eastern Mennonite University, Zehr has shaped how restorative justice is conceptualized, taught, and practiced globally.
12.John Braithwaite
Australian criminologist whose theory of reintegrative shaming provided an influential theoretical framework for restorative justice. Braithwaite’s extensive research on restorative approaches in criminal justice, business regulation, and peacebuilding has demonstrated the versatility and effectiveness of these practices across contexts.
13.Kay Pranis
Restorative justice practitioner and trainer who has pioneered the use of peacemaking circles in various settings. Pranis’s work has been instrumental in adapting indigenous circle processes for contemporary applications in schools, communities, and the justice system.
14.Mark Umbreit
Founder of the Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking at the University of Minnesota whose research and practice have advanced victim-offender dialogue in serious and violent crimes. Umbreit’s evidence-based research has documented the impact of restorative processes across various settings.
15.Kathleen Daly
Professor of Criminology at Griffith University in Australia whose empirical research on restorative justice practices has provided critical insights into their implementation and effectiveness. Daly’s work has examined gender dynamics in restorative justice and questioned simplistic dichotomies between restorative and retributive approaches.
16.Gerry Johnstone
Law professor and author of “Restorative Justice: Ideas, Values, Debates” who has critically examined the theoretical foundations and practical challenges of restorative justice. Johnstone’s scholarly analysis has helped clarify conceptual issues in the field.
17.Gordon Bazemore
Criminologist whose work on balanced and restorative justice has influenced juvenile justice reform in the United States. Bazemore’s research on the role of community in restorative processes has expanded understanding of how these approaches can address systemic issues.
18.Lode Walgrave
Belgian criminologist who has advocated for “maximalist” approaches to restorative justice that seek systemic transformation rather than merely supplementing existing criminal justice practices. Walgrave’s work has pushed the field to consider broader social justice implications.
19.Mara Schiff
Criminal justice professor whose research and advocacy have advanced restorative justice in various contexts, particularly in educational settings. Schiff’s work has helped translate restorative principles into practical policy recommendations.
20.Jennifer Llewellyn
Law professor who has developed the relational theory of restorative justice, emphasizing its foundation in relational ethics. Llewellyn’s work in post-conflict settings and with truth and reconciliation processes has expanded restorative approaches in transitional justice contexts.
21.Brenda Morrison
Director of the Centre for Restorative Justice at Simon Fraser University whose research on school-based restorative justice has influenced educational policy and practice. Morrison’s work connecting restorative approaches to social emotional learning has broadened their application in educational settings.
22.Shadd Maruna
Criminologist whose research on desistance from crime has informed restorative approaches to reintegration and rehabilitation. Maruna’s work on redemption narratives has deepened understanding of how restorative processes can support personal transformation.
23.Daniel Van Ness
Former Executive Director of Prison Fellowship International’s Centre for Justice and Reconciliation and author of “Restoring Justice” who has contributed to the international development of restorative justice theory and practice. Van Ness’s work has particularly influenced faith-based approaches to restorative justice.
24.Heather Strang
Criminologist who has conducted rigorous empirical research on restorative justice outcomes, particularly through randomized controlled trials in Australia and the United Kingdom. Strang’s evidence-based approach has strengthened the case for restorative interventions.
25.Lawrence Sherman
Criminologist whose research with Heather Strang on restorative justice conferences has provided empirical evidence for their effectiveness. Sherman’s development of evidence-based policing has created pathways for integrating restorative approaches into law enforcement.
Practitioners and Program Developers
26.Ted Wachtel
Founder of the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) who has advanced the application of restorative practices in schools, criminal justice, and community settings. Wachtel’s work establishing the world’s first graduate school devoted to restorative practices has institutionalized professional development in the field.
27.Dominic Barter
Brazilian restorative justice practitioner who developed Restorative Circles, a community-based approach to conflict that has been implemented in favelas, schools, courts, and prisons. Barter’s work has demonstrated how restorative processes can address structural violence and power imbalances.
28.Terry O’Connell
Australian police officer who adapted family group conferencing for use in criminal justice contexts, developing what became known as “real justice” conferencing. O’Connell’s practical framework for facilitating restorative conferences has been widely adopted internationally.
29.Lauren Abramson
Founder of the Community Conferencing Center in Baltimore who adapted restorative conferencing for urban contexts in the United States. Abramson’s work has demonstrated how community-based restorative approaches can address neighborhood conflicts and juvenile offending.
30.Carolyn Boyes-Watson
Founder of Suffolk University’s Center for Restorative Justice who has implemented circle processes in various community settings. Boyes-Watson’s books on peacemaking circles have provided practical guidance for practitioners across contexts.
31.David Karp
Professor and founder of the Project on Restorative Justice at Skidmore College who has pioneered restorative approaches in higher education. Karp’s campus-based models have transformed how colleges address student misconduct and campus harm.
32.Mary Crnkovich
Founder of Edmonton Community Justice Centre in Canada who developed community-based victim-offender mediation programs that became models for implementation elsewhere. Crnkovich’s practical approaches demonstrated how volunteer-based programs could effectively address neighborhood-level harms.
33.Christa Pilar Daugherty
Founder of the Community Justice for Youth Institute in Chicago who has implemented peace circles in urban schools and juvenile justice settings. Daugherty’s work has connected restorative practices to racial justice and youth development.
34.Elizabeth Elliott
Restorative justice practitioner and author who has implemented prison-based restorative programs. Elliott’s work has demonstrated how restorative approaches can transform correctional environments and support rehabilitation.
35.Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz
Restorative justice practitioner with Mennonite Central Committee who co-authored “The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools.” Amstutz’s work has bridged faith-based approaches with educational and criminal justice applications.
International Leaders and Policy Advocates
36.Jim Consedine
New Zealand prison chaplain and author of “Restorative Justice: Healing the Effects of Crime” who advocated for the integration of restorative principles into New Zealand’s justice system. Consedine’s activism helped establish some of the world’s first nationwide restorative justice legislation.
37.Mike Batley
Executive Director of the Restorative Justice Centre in South Africa who has implemented restorative approaches in post-apartheid contexts. Batley’s work has connected restorative justice to transitional justice and reconciliation processes.
38.Gabrielle Maxwell
New Zealand researcher who evaluated the implementation of family group conferencing in youth justice. Maxwell’s research provided evidence for the effectiveness of New Zealand’s pioneering restorative legislation.
39.Ann Skelton
South African lawyer and children’s rights advocate who helped develop child justice reform based on restorative principles. Skelton’s work led to the Child Justice Act, which incorporated restorative approaches into South Africa’s legal framework for young offenders.
40.Martin Wright
British criminologist and advocate who founded the Restorative Justice Consortium (now Restorative Justice Council) in the UK. Wright’s writings and advocacy have influenced policy development throughout Europe.
41.Christa Pelikan
Austrian researcher and advocate who has advanced restorative justice in European contexts, particularly in cases of domestic violence. Pelikan’s work with the European Forum for Restorative Justice has shaped policy development across the continent.
42.Rob Hulls
Former Attorney-General of Victoria, Australia who established the Neighbourhood Justice Centre and other restorative initiatives. Hulls’s political leadership demonstrated how government policy could incorporate restorative principles at scale.
43.Ivo Aertsen
Professor and founder of the Leuven Institute of Criminology in Belgium who has advanced restorative justice research and practice across Europe. Aertsen’s leadership in the European Forum for Restorative Justice has fostered international collaboration and policy development.
44.Vince Mercer
UK practitioner who developed specialized approaches for applying restorative justice in cases of sexual harm. Mercer’s work has expanded the application of restorative approaches to more complex and sensitive cases.
45.Estelle Zinsstag
Researcher at the Leuven Institute of Criminology whose work has examined restorative responses to sexual violence. Zinsstag’s comparative research has informed policy development across multiple countries.
Educational Innovators
46.Belinda Hopkins
Founder of Transforming Conflict in the UK who pioneered whole-school restorative approaches. Hopkins’s books and training programs have provided practical frameworks for implementing restorative practices in educational settings.
47.Dorothy Vaandering
Education professor whose research has examined the implementation and impact of restorative justice in schools. Vaandering’s work has highlighted the importance of addressing power relationships in educational restorative practices.
48.Nancy Riestenberg
School restorative practices specialist with the Minnesota Department of Education who developed statewide implementation strategies. Riestenberg’s practical guidance has supported the sustainable integration of restorative approaches in public education.
49.Bob Costello
Training director at the International Institute for Restorative Practices whose work has focused on school implementation of restorative practices. Costello’s training models have influenced how educators understand and apply restorative approaches.
50.Rita Alfred
Restorative justice practitioner and trainer who co-founded Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY). Alfred’s work implementing restorative practices in urban schools has connected these approaches to racial equity and social justice.
51.Kerri Berkowitz
Restorative practices coordinator for San Francisco Unified School District who developed district-wide implementation frameworks. Berkowitz’s systemic approach demonstrated how large urban districts could adopt restorative practices.
52.Tom Cavanagh
Education researcher whose work has examined restorative practices in indigenous educational contexts. Cavanagh’s research has highlighted how culturally responsive restorative approaches can address educational disparities.
53.Thalia González
Legal scholar whose research has documented the implementation and impact of restorative justice in schools. González’s work has provided evidence for policy advocacy and connected educational restorative practices to broader social justice concerns.
54.Kathy Evans
Education professor specializing in restorative justice in education. Evans’s framework for restorative education emphasizes the need for both proactive community building and responsive approaches to harm.
55.Gillean McCluskey
Education researcher at the University of Edinburgh whose evaluations of restorative practices in Scottish schools have informed international implementation. McCluskey’s research has provided evidence for the effectiveness of whole-school restorative approaches.
Advocates for Survivors and Victims
56.Mary Achilles
Victim advocate who has worked to ensure that restorative justice practices honor victim needs and perspectives. Achilles’s work has helped develop victim-centered approaches within restorative frameworks.
56.Howard Zehr
Beyond his theoretical contributions, Zehr’s photographic work and writings on victims’ experiences have centered survivor voices in restorative justice. Zehr’s book “Transcending: Reflections of Crime Victims” helped practitioners understand the complexity of harm and healing.
58.Sujatha Baliga
Former director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice and 2019 MacArthur Fellow whose work has focused on survivor-centered restorative approaches to interpersonal violence. Baliga’s personal experience as a survivor has informed her advocacy for trauma-informed restorative practices.
59.Lisa Rea
Founder of Restorative Justice International who has advocated for victim-offender programs within correctional settings. Rea’s work has emphasized the importance of addressing victim needs within restorative processes.
60.Mary Ellen O’Toole
Former FBI profiler who has supported the development of restorative approaches that address the needs of victims of serious and violent crimes. O’Toole’s expertise has helped create safeguards for sensitive cases.
61.David Doerfler
Founder of Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) of Central Valley, one of the earliest restorative justice programs in the United States. Doerfler’s victim-centered approach influenced the development of many subsequent programs.
62.Susan Herman
Former Executive Director of the National Center for Victims of Crime who developed the concept of “parallel justice” that complements restorative approaches. Herman’s work emphasized societal responsibility to meet victims’ needs regardless of offender participation.
63.Karen Riestenberg
Victim advocate who has worked to ensure that restorative justice programs incorporate trauma-informed practices. Riestenberg’s work has helped programs better address the needs of survivors of sexual violence.
64.Alison Cunningham
Canadian researcher whose work has examined the experiences of victims in restorative justice processes. Cunningham’s research has informed more responsive and supportive practices for survivors.
65.Jülich Shirley
New Zealand researcher whose work has focused on sexual violence survivors’ perspectives on restorative justice. Jülich’s research has informed the development of trauma-informed restorative approaches for sexual harm cases.
Justice System Reformers
66.Judge Barry Stuart
Beyond his work with indigenous communities, Stuart’s innovation of sentencing circles provided a model for integrating restorative approaches into formal court processes. Stuart’s judicial leadership demonstrated how traditional legal authorities could embrace restorative principles.
67.Kay Harris
Criminal justice professor and author of “Restorative Justice: The Prison System is Not Our Model” who advocated for systemic reform based on restorative principles. Harris’s work highlighted the limitations of punitive approaches and offered restorative alternatives.
68.Sunny Schwartz
Founder of the Resolve to Stop the Violence Project (RSVP) in the San Francisco County jail, a groundbreaking program applying restorative principles in correctional settings. Schwartz’s work demonstrated how restorative approaches could transform even the most challenging institutional environments.
69.Paul McCold
Criminologist whose conceptual framework of the “restorative justice triangle” (addressing harms to victims, communities, and offenders) has influenced program development and evaluation. McCold’s theoretical work has helped clarify the goals and methods of restorative justice.
70.Judge Janine Geske
Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice who established restorative justice programs in prisons and law schools. Geske’s judicial leadership demonstrated how legal professionals could incorporate restorative principles into their practice.
71.Sawin James
Probation administrator who implemented restorative approaches in community corrections. Sawin’s work demonstrated how probation departments could shift from surveillance to restorative models of supervision.
72.Mary Roche
Juvenile justice administrator who developed restorative conferencing programs for young offenders. Roche’s implementation strategies showed how youth justice systems could be transformed through restorative approaches.
73.Nancy Rodriguez
Former Director of the National Institute of Justice who supported research on restorative justice effectiveness. Rodriguez’s leadership helped build the evidence base for restorative approaches in various contexts.
74.Tim Chapman
Probation officer and restorative justice trainer who helped develop practice standards for restorative justice in Northern Ireland. Chapman’s work bridged theory and practice in criminal justice applications.
75.Dan Van Ness
Beyond his theoretical contributions, Van Ness has advocated for prison reform based on restorative principles. Van Ness’s work with Prison Fellowship International has implemented restorative approaches in correctional settings worldwide.
Community-Based Practitioners
76.Rev. Jerry Hancock
Founder of the Prison Ministry Project who has implemented restorative justice programs in correctional settings. Hancock’s work has connected faith communities to restorative justice practice.
77.Mika Dashman
Founder of Restorative Justice Initiative, a network supporting restorative justice implementation in New York City. Dashman’s community organizing approach has built collaborations across diverse stakeholders and contexts.
78.Diana Couch
Founder of the Fresno Pacific University Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies who implemented community-based victim-offender reconciliation programs. Couch’s work established early models for volunteer-based restorative justice services.
79.Gale Burford
Social work professor who has implemented family group decision making in child welfare contexts. Burford’s work has demonstrated how restorative approaches can address family violence while keeping children safe.
80.Barbara Toews
Restorative justice practitioner and author who has developed approaches for applying restorative principles in correctional settings. Toews’s work on “restorative architecture” has examined how physical environments impact justice processes.
81.Fred McElrea
New Zealand judge who advocated for and implemented community panel approaches to youth justice. McElrea’s judicial innovation helped establish family group conferencing as a mainstream response to youth offending.
82.Cookie Newsom
Community activist who has implemented circle processes to address racial tensions in diverse communities. Newsom’s work has connected restorative practices to racial healing and reconciliation.
83.Johonna Turner
Restorative justice practitioner and scholar whose work connects restorative justice to transformative justice and community organizing. Turner’s approach has emphasized the importance of addressing structural violence and systemic inequities.
84.Debra Frazer-Howze
Public health advocate who has implemented restorative approaches to address community trauma and violence. Frazer-Howze’s work has connected restorative practices to public health interventions in urban communities.
85.Robert Yazzie
Beyond preserving indigenous practices, Yazzie implemented the Peacemaking Program in the Navajo court system, creating one of the largest indigenous justice programs in North America. Yazzie’s leadership demonstrated how traditional practices could be revitalized in contemporary contexts.
Emerging Leaders and Innovators
86.Carl Stauffer
Restorative justice practitioner and scholar whose work in post-conflict settings has connected restorative justice to transitional justice and peacebuilding. Stauffer’s international experience has expanded restorative approaches in contexts of mass violence.
87.Shannon Sliva
Criminal justice professor whose research examines the implementation of restorative justice legislation and policy. Sliva’s work has provided evidence for advocacy efforts promoting systemic adoption of restorative approaches.
88.Sonya Shah
Founder of the Ahimsa Collective who has implemented restorative approaches for severe violence and sexual harm. Shah’s trauma-informed framework has expanded restorative responses to complex cases.
89.Fania Davis
Beyond her program development work, Davis has articulated connections between restorative justice and racial healing. Davis’s concept of “restorative racial justice” has influenced approaches to addressing historical harms and structural racism.
90.Derek Brookes
Restorative justice practitioner and scholar who developed the concept of “micro-communities of care” to support reintegration. Brookes’s work has expanded understanding of community roles in restorative processes.
91.Anita Wadhwa
Educator and author of “Restorative Justice in Urban Schools” who has implemented culturally responsive restorative practices in diverse educational settings. Wadhwa’s work has connected restorative approaches to racial equity in education.
92.Ora Schub
Co-founder of the Community Justice for Youth Institute who has implemented intergenerational peace circles in Chicago communities affected by violence. Schub’s work has demonstrated how restorative processes can address community trauma.
93.Christina Parker
Education researcher whose work examines restorative justice implementation in diverse school communities. Parker’s research has highlighted the importance of culturally responsive approaches in educational settings.
94.Nicholas Bradford
Founder of the Clear Impact Consulting Group who has developed innovative approaches to school-based restorative justice implementation. Bradford’s work has focused on sustainable systems change in educational institutions.
95.Sayra Pinto
Restorative justice practitioner and poet whose work connects restorative approaches to creative expression and cultural healing. Pinto’s interdisciplinary approach has expanded restorative practices in Latinx communities.
Global Ambassadors and Connectors
96.John Braithwaite
Beyond his theoretical contributions, Braithwaite has been instrumental in connecting restorative justice to peacebuilding in international contexts. His work in Timor-Leste and other post-conflict settings has demonstrated restorative approaches to reconciliation after mass violence.
97.Graeme Simpson
Founder of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in South Africa who has connected restorative justice to transitional justice in post-conflict settings. Simpson’s work has influenced truth and reconciliation processes worldwide.
98.Evelyn Zellerer
Founder of Peace of the Circle who has implemented restorative approaches across diverse cultural contexts. Zellerer’s international work has demonstrated the adaptability of circle processes across cultural boundaries.
99.Umbreit Mark
Beyond his research contributions, Umbreit has provided training and consultation in over 80 communities in 40 states and 11 countries. His international influence has helped establish restorative dialogue programs worldwide.
100.Elizabeth Porter
International restorative justice consultant who has implemented programs in post-conflict settings. Porter’s work has demonstrated how restorative approaches can contribute to rebuilding social trust after mass violence.
Conclusion
The individuals highlighted in this list represent diverse contributions to the development and growth of restorative justice as a global movement. From indigenous knowledge keepers who preserved traditional practices to academic theorists who articulated conceptual frameworks, from grassroots practitioners who implemented community-based programs to policy advocates who created institutional change, these influential figures have collectively transformed how justice is conceptualized and practiced across multiple contexts.
As restorative justice continues to evolve, new challenges and opportunities emerge. Questions about the relationship between restorative approaches and broader social justice concerns, the application of restorative principles in cases of structural and historical harm, and the development of evidence-based practices that maintain fidelity to core values will require ongoing attention. The most influential people in restorative justice recognize that the field’s development is not merely a technical project but a deeply human endeavor that challenges conventional understandings of justice, harm, and healing.
The diversity of perspectives represented in this list reflects the multifaceted nature of restorative justice itself. Some contributors focus on individual transformation, others on community building, and still others on systemic change. Some draw primarily on indigenous wisdom, others on religious traditions, and others on empirical research. This plurality of approaches strengthens the field, allowing restorative justice to adapt to diverse contexts while maintaining its core commitment to healing relationships, repairing harm, and building communities where all members can thrive.
