Schools like Harvest Collegiate High School have embraced restorative justice and devoted resources to those programs.

Schools that implemented Restorative Practices saw a staggering 35% reduction of student arrests in school, and a 15% reduction in out-of-school arrests (the University of Chicago Education lab).

One of the most powerful and underused tools in a BIT’s toolbox is the integration of restorative practices. Conflict is almost always a reflection of something more profound, what psychologist Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., the “father of nonviolent communication,” would call “a tragic expression of unmet needs.” Restorative practices acknowledge this reality and seek to meet it.

After Jen Angel’s shocking death, loved ones honor her legacy of punk zines, gourmet dinner nights and social justice projects.

The Bronx community center is one of 16 organizations in New York City receiving a combined $6.5 million over the next year for programs to bolster public safety using restorative justice — a philosophy that aims to build community and mediate arguments through conversation, rather than through discipline or criminal charges. It’s sometimes used as a way for crime victims and perpetrators to make peace. But it can also be used as a tool to help people feel comfortable having difficult discussions. Some New York City school administrators, court officials and nonprofits are already using restorative justice to mediate disputes.

Here, Jodi Barnes talks about the importance of addressing conflict at work, and why employees should be empowered to help build a more resilient and productive work culture.