RMIT University Centre for Innovative Justice

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Responding
to harm.
Bringing people
together.

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Open Circle is a restorative justice service bringing people together to collectively acknowledge and respond to experiences of harm.  We make difficult communication possible by providing opportunities for respectful, facilitated dialogue.

Open Circle also undertakes research, policy and program design work in the area of restorative justice and restorative practice.

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Email: open.circle@rmit.edu.au

Phone: 0419 031 626

Twitter/X: @OpenCircleRJ

Related Content

Media

“They might want to tell their story their own way, not constrained by rules of evidence or legal processes”

Victims and people harmed by crime say restorative justice helped them heal, now there are calls to make it more available.

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Media

Would you meet with someone who has caused you or your family harm?

CIJ's Rob Hulls, Stan Winford and Nareeda Lewers speak on ABC - Melbourne's The Conversation Hour about the benefits of a restorative justice approach and how it can help victims find a voice & heal harm.

Read more
Video

What can restorative justice offer victim survivors of sexual violence?

A panel of speakers from Transforming Justice Australia, Open Circle and the Survivor Hub discussed what restorative justice can offer victim survivors.

Watch
Video

Law Week 2023 – Restorative responses to sexual violence

In this webinar, the Open Circle team discuss the specialist restorative responses to sexual violence practice model that Open Circle has developed and explain how the option of restorative justice can meet the justice needs of victim survivors.

Watch
Blog

$1.5m boost for innovative road trauma recovery program

The recovery journey of Victorians impacted by road trauma is set to be improved thanks to a ground-breaking new partnership between RMIT and the Transport Accident Commission.

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Video

Restorative justice responses to sexual harm

This is a recording of our Law Week event which occurred on Monday 17 May 2021. A panel discussion of RJ practitioners and experts exploring how RJ responds to the needs of people impacted by sexual harm.

Watch
Blog

Restorative justice in forensic mental health settings – report by student Eliza Hew

Historically, people with serious mental illness have not been included in restorative justice practices, with exclusion hinging on the assumption that this population do not have the capacity to meaningfully participate. More recently however, literature suggests that this assumption is unsubstantiated (and discriminatory); there exist significant potential benefits for patients, staff, victims and the broader community.

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Blog

Restorative justice can enhance the rights of people with a disability living in group homes

The justice system can on the one hand fail to recognise serious victimisation as criminal offending when experienced by people with disability, while being unable to imagine alternatives to the criminal justice system in responding to complexity.

Read more
Video

Restorative justice – what is it & how can it improve the justice system

This is a a recording of the webinar "Restorative justice - what is it & how can it improve the justice system" as part of VLF's Law Week 2020. The webinar which took place on 22 May 2020.

Watch
Blog

Responding restoratively to Covid -19?

Although we are still confronted daily with the immediate consequences of Covid-19, at Open Circle we are beginning to turn our minds to the future. What will our daily life, work and relationships look like when this pandemic is over, and how can we respond with a restorative lens?

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Blog

Open Circle and Restorative Justice During Covid-19

Restorative justice services around the world are being impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and are developing their responses accordingly. At Open Circle, we too are working hard to adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances, whilst continuing to provide quality restorative justice processes to our community. The safety of service users and staff is of paramount importance to us.

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Project
Restorative Justice

Restorative justice conferencing pilot for serious driving offences

Access the project report ‘It’s healing to hear another person’s story and also to tell your own story’ here.

Read more Download publication

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Centre for Innovative Justice

RMIT Building 20 – Former Magistrates’ Court
124 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Wurundjeri Country

Email: cij@rmit.edu.au
Phone: 03 9925 7249

Acknowledgment of country

RMIT University acknowledges the Kulin Nations as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the University stands. The University respectfully recognises Elders both past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of lands across Australia where it conducts its business, their Elders, Ancestors, cultures and heritage.

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