Introducing Restorative Justice Art: four steps towards healing

This ground-breaking ebook introduces to the extant literature and future practice the concept of “restorative justice art”. This is defined as “the engagement of visual (e.g. drawing, filmmaking), literary (e.g. poetry) performing (e.g. theatre) plastic (sculpture) printmaking (e.g. digital printing) arts through the ethos (e.g. power sharing, co-design, equality) and practices (e.g. circles) of restorative justice. Restorative justice art has been piloted as an innovative concept to (a) improve community cohesion and address community tensions and divisive narrative (b) improve mental health outcomes both within institutions (e.g. mental health clinics) and the community (c) support migrant integration (d) support community integration for those going through the gates of prison.

This ebook focuses on the usage of restorative justice art for the improvement of mental health outcomes. Drawing from the theories and practices of restorative justice, the ebook provides a narrative but also a practical guide on how to implement restorative justice art for healing and mental health restoration. COVID19 and its socio-economic impacts created a new pandemic –  mental illness. The top down clinical models for mental health are limited in their reach for relationship building and power sharing. The ebook argues that restorative justice art can be a tool that can be used beyond mental health settings including prisons, schools, workplaces and other top down structures within institutions.

The e-book includes images as well as evidences from restorative justice art pilots that were carried out in several countries during 2021-23. It also includes a four-step guide with original art used as prompts to achieve a healing effect and restoration through art.

A free extract is available from https://www.rj4allpublications.com/product/4steps/