FAQs about our Restorative Services
About Restorative Justice
What is Restorative Justic?
Restorative Justice is a facilitated dialogue process that seeks to address conflict and harm by bringing together those who have been affected in a safe, structured, and facilitated process. Rather than focusing only on punishment, restorative justice encourages accountability, understanding, repairing harm, and strengthening relationships.
Connection First facilitates restorative services through three pathways:
-
Criminal Legal System Referrals
-
School-Based Services
-
Community Conflict Resolution
What is the difference between restorative justice and restorative practices?
Restorative Practices are an umbrella term focused on building, maintaining, and repairing relationships within communities. Restorative Justice is one restorative practice that is typically used in response to harm or criminal offenses.
At Connection First, we use restorative practices across all of our services while facilitating restorative justice conferences for eligible cases.
Does restorative justice actually work?
Our participants consistently report positive experiences.
Since launching our restorative services in 2024:
-
95% reported being satisfied with the process.
-
97% would recommend our services to others.
-
97% said they were treated with respect.
-
97% said they had opportunities to repair harm.
-
95% felt safe speaking honestly throughout the process.
-
100% successfully completed their restorative agreements.
-
Among program completers, there have been no new violent offenses.
-
Our recidivism rate for criminal legal system referrals is 5.9%.
Does it cost anything to participate?
Criminal Legal System referrals and many School-Based Services are funded through grants and partnerships, so there is typically no cost to participants.
Community Conflict Resolution services operate on a case-based fee structure. Scholarships may be available for individuals experiencing financial hardship.
Criminal Legal System Referrals
Who can be referred?
We accept referrals involving both youth and adults participating in the juvenile or criminal legal system.
Youth are generally between ages 13–17 at the time of referral. Younger youth may be considered when developmentally appropriate. All youth require signed parent or guardian consent.
Who can make a referral?
Referrals may come from:
-
State Attorney's Office
-
Public Defender's Office
-
Private attorneys
-
Judges
-
Probation
-
Leon County Sheriff's Office
-
Tallahassee Police Department
-
Civil Citation / DJJ
-
School administrators
-
School Resource Officers
-
Other justice partners
Individuals and families are also welcome to contact us if they believe restorative services may be appropriate.
What types of criminal cases can be referred?
We currently accept referrals involving:
-
Pending criminal cases
-
Diversion and Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs)
-
Plea agreements
-
Probation
-
Post-conviction cases
-
Criminal incidents occurring on school campuses
Is restorative justice only for minor offenses?
No. Restorative justice has been used successfully in cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felony offenses.
Every referral is reviewed individually to determine whether the process is appropriate based on the circumstances, participant readiness, and willingness to engage—not simply the charge itself.
Will every criminal case be accepted?
Not necessarily.
Connection First accepts a wide range of referrals, but every case goes through a thorough intake process to determine whether restorative justice is appropriate. We assess accountability, participant readiness, safety, and each person's willingness to participate before moving forward.
Does someone have to admit guilt before participating?
Participants must be willing to take responsibility for the harm they caused.
Restorative Justice is not intended to determine guilt or innocence. Instead, it focuses on understanding the impact of harm and exploring meaningful accountability.
Do both attorneys have to agree?
For pending criminal cases, yes.
Because restorative justice operates within the criminal legal system, both the prosecutor and defense attorney must agree before a case can proceed when restorative justice is part of the case resolution.
Does the harmed party have to participate?
No.
Participation is always voluntary.
While restorative conferences are often most meaningful when harmed parties choose to participate, conferences may still occur in some situations using community representatives or surrogate participants when appropriate.
Does restorative justice replace the court process?
Not usually.
Restorative justice often works alongside the criminal legal system. Depending on the case, it may be incorporated into diversion, a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA), a plea agreement, probation, or post-conviction proceedings.
What happens if someone doesn't complete the restorative agreement?
Restorative agreements are created by the participants themselves and are intended to be realistic and achievable.
Our team follows up throughout the process to support successful completion. When restorative justice is part of a criminal case, participants are expected to complete the agreement they signed during the conference. If the agreement is not completed by the agreed-upon deadline, the case is returned to the referring attorneys and the restorative process is considered unsuccessful.
To date, every participant who has completed a restorative conference has also successfully completed their restorative agreement.
School-Based Services
What school services do you provide?
We partner with schools by facilitating restorative conferences, training educators, and coaching school staff to build long-term restorative capacity.
Services include:
-
Restorative Justice Conference Facilitation
-
Restorative Re-Entry Conferences
-
Restorative Practices Training
-
Nonviolent Communication Training
-
Implementation Coaching
What types of school referrals do you accept?
Examples include:
-
Student conflict
-
Student and staff conflict
-
Re-entry conferences
-
Behavioral incidents
-
School-based criminal incidents
-
Educator coaching and consultation
Do you only work with Leon County Schools?
Our current partnerships are with Leon County Schools, including Ghazvini Learning Center and Griffin Middle School.
We're always interested in discussing future partnerships with other schools and districts.
Can schools request training?
Yes.
Connection First offers professional development, restorative practices training, implementation coaching, and customized workshops for educators, administrators, and school staff.
While our current grant funding limits expansion into additional schools, we're actively seeking funding to broaden these services.
Community Conflict Resolution Services
Do conflicts have to involve criminal charges?
No.
Community Conflict Resolution is designed to help individuals address conflict early, repair relationships, and prevent future escalation.
What types of conflicts are appropriate?
Examples include:
-
Family conflict
-
Neighbor disputes
-
Workplace conflict
-
Faith communities
-
Community organizations
-
Friends and roommates
What to Expect
Is participation voluntary?
Yes.
Participation is always voluntary for everyone involved. Each person decides whether the process is right for them.
What happens before a conference?
Every participant meets privately with a trained facilitator before any joint meeting occurs.
Preparation meetings help participants:
-
Understand the process
-
Ask questions
-
Share concerns
-
Learn what to expect
-
Reflect on the impact of the situation
-
Determine whether they are ready to move forward
Will I have to meet with the other person?
Not necessarily.
A restorative conference only occurs if everyone chooses to participate and our facilitators determine that a joint meeting is appropriate.
Preparation meetings help participants:
-
Understand the process
-
Ask questions
-
Share concerns
-
Learn what to expect
-
Reflect on the impact of the situation
-
Determine whether they are ready to move forward
Is the process confidential?
Yes.
Confidentiality is discussed during every preparation meeting, and all participants sign confidentiality and consent agreements before participating.
There are limited exceptions when disclosure is required by law or as part of an agreed-upon referral process.
Preparation meetings help participants:
-
Understand the process
-
Ask questions
-
Share concerns
-
Learn what to expect
-
Reflect on the impact of the situation
-
Determine whether they are ready to move forward
How long does the process take?
Every referral is unique.
The timeline depends on the complexity of the situation, participant availability, and the amount of preparation needed before a conference.
What happens after the conference?
Many conferences conclude with a written agreement created by the participants themselves.
Our team follows up to support agreement completion, monitor progress, and connect participants with additional resources when appropriate.