The Criminal Justice Dispute Resolution Clinic & Mediation Clinic for Juveniles is a clinic based on the tenets of Restorative Justice, an approach to criminal justice that aims, through reconciliation with the victim, to repair the harm caused by the offender’s criminal behavior.
Providing students with a unique opportunity to implement Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice, this clinic offers two approaches. First, clinic students will teach dispute resolution to in-custody juveniles, giving them tools to react differently to the conflicts with which they are confronted. Second, clinic students participate in Restorative Justice mediations between victims and Youth. Students will then draft settlement agreements.
Clinic students will gain valuable experience in the juvenile justice system with unique client-counseling opportunities and hands-on mediation training/experience. Clinic students will also be interacting with practicing attorneys, juvenile court judges, District Attorneys and Public Defenders, as well as Probation Corrections Officers.
“The Mediation Clinic refined my negotiation and client counseling skills, in a setting emphasizing empathy and cooperation. I mediated guardianship issues between families in crisis, protecting the youths affected and helped to rebuild broken bonds. I mentored youth in juvenile halls, teaching them mediation skills and how to navigate complex issues. I wholeheartedly feel that I am a better advocate because of the Mediation Clinic, for my clients and for progress within my community.”
"This clinic is an excellent opportunity to actually effectuate change in our community, because these incarcerated youths really are great kids who simply did not have the mentorship they needed. By working in the clinic and teaching them conflict resolution skills, they will have the tools to be in a better position in the event of future conflict, which will hopefully prevent their return to juvenile hall. It was truly a great experience, and I would recommend the clinic to any law student, graduate, or undergraduate student because learning how to speak with people in a way they understand is so critical to success in any field."
"Participating in the Dispute Resolution for Juveniles Clinic was an incredible experience. Through the Clinic, I had the opportunity to work closely with the youth in Juvenile Hall and teach them conflict resolution skills. More so, the clinic showed me the importance of restorative justice and allowed me to make a positive impact in the lives of the youth. In law school classes, we often read cases about people and their legal issues. However, in the Clinic, you see firsthand how the law can impact the lives of the youth and how, as future lawyers, we can create change in the legal system."