About the YRJI
A framework to measure the supporting infrastructure behind youth restorative justice nationally.
The Youth Restorative Justice Index centralizes information about this infrastructure across all 50 states. We define infrastructure as any system, actor, or investment that supports the creation or development of youth restorative justice services.
The YRJI is designed to help advocates, policymakers, providers, and researchers identify existing constraints and understand where additional support may be needed.
It does not measure the quality or effectiveness of individual restorative justice programs, nor does it establish whether a particular policy causes improved outcomes.
Who it is for
Advocates & providers
Identify state-level gaps and support evidence-based advocacy and service development.
Policymakers
Compare infrastructure across states and identify areas for further review.
Youth
Identify local restorative justice services and understand eligibility.
Researchers
Use a transparent, state-level record of publicly available evidence.
Using the index
- Explore a state. Start with its composite score and category results.
- Open the profile. Review the indicator scores and cited sources behind each category.
- Read the context. Visit the methodology and data pages for scoring and source details.
Interpreting results
Scores describe the documented infrastructure available in each state at the time of review. They are not a measure of the quality, reach, or outcomes of every restorative justice program in a state.
Assessing the Youth Restorative Justice Landscape in the US
Read the project’s motivation, literature review, methodology, results, limitations, and future work.