From Retributive to Restorative: An Alternative Approach to Justice in Schools

112 Pages Posted: 9 Sep 2023

See all articles by Anjali Adukia

Anjali Adukia

University of Chicago

Benjamin Feigenberg

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Department of Economics

Fatemeh Momeni

University of Chicago

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: September 8, 2023

Abstract

School districts historically approached conflict-resolution from the perspective that suspending disruptive students was necessary to protect their classmates, even if this caused harm to perceived offenders. Restorative practices (RP) – focused on reparation and shared ownership of disciplinary justice – are designed to address undesirable behavior without imparting harm. We study Chicago Public Schools’ adoption of RP and identify decreased suspensions and arrests, driven by effects for Black students. We find null effects on test-score value added, ruling out average declines larger than 0.025SD. We estimate a 15% decrease in out-of-school arrests, consistent with RP substantively changing student behavior.

Suggested Citation

Adukia, Anjali and Feigenberg, Benjamin and Momeni, Fatemeh, From Retributive to Restorative: An Alternative Approach to Justice in Schools (September 8, 2023). University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Economics Working Paper No. 2023-117, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4566132 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4566132

Anjali Adukia (Contact Author)

University of Chicago ( email )

1101 East 58th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

HOME PAGE: http://home.uchicago.edu/adukia

Benjamin Feigenberg

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Department of Economics ( email )

50 Memorial Drive
E52-391
Cambridge, MA 02142
United States

Fatemeh Momeni

University of Chicago ( email )

1101 East 58th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

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