Deborah Ramirez

Northeastern Law’s Center for Law, Equity and Race (CLEAR), in collaboration with Suffolk University’s Center for Restorative Justice (CRJ), recently held the commonwealth’s first-ever training in community-centered restorative justice practices for Massachusetts state court judges. The innovative four-day program was funded by the Chief Justice Ralph Gants Fund for Racial Equity and Access to Justice, with assistance from the Massachusetts Bar Foundation. Susan Maze-Rothstein, director of the CRJ and a former member of the Northeastern Law faculty, delivered the program to members of the Justice Harry J. Elam Judicial Conference.

“For a long time, I’ve believed that restorative justice is a way for judges and communities to address the underlying problems that bring people into the courthouse, including poverty, homelessness, mental illness and substance use disorder,” said Professor Deborah Ramirez, faculty codirector of CLEAR. “We hope this will serve as a model for other court systems seeking restorative justice training for judges and employees.”