Restorative Justice
Transforming individuals, victims, and communities divided by the criminal justice system
About
Restorative justice is an alternative to traditional means of rehabilitation and punishment which brings together returning citizens and community members, focusing on conversation and understanding as the first steps on the path to healing.
Art education, paired with personal and professional development, and hands-on assistance on mural projects forge the growth of strong, positive bonds between returning citizens and justice-impacted communities. We place a strong emphasis on work readiness within our Guild program and give creative voice to people who have been disconnected from society.
Restorative Justice participants feel empowered by their accomplishments and emerge with a newfound sense of pride in their own abilities and enhanced employment readiness skills. The Restorative Justice program cultivates resilience in individuals as they transition from incarceration back into civilian life.
We combine art with criminal justice reform organizations Art for Justice and Fair and Justice Prosecution.
Read MoreIf I were to give back anything to the people around me, it would be that, art.
92%
92%% of graduates in our Guild re-entry apprenticeship program are not reincarcerated within one year of program completion
78%
78% of Guild graduates are employed or in school after program completion
44.7 million
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections could save approximately $44.7 million annually by reducing its one-year reincarceration rate by 10 percentage points
Government and Nonprofit Collaborators
Mural Arts engages in collaborations with numerous government and nonprofit agencies, including:
- City of Philadelphia Youth Violence Reduction Partnership
- Pennsylvania Prison Society
- State Correctional Institution at SCI Phoenix
- Philadelphia Probation Department
- Philadelphia Department of Prisons
- Home for Good Reentry Coalition of the City of Philadelphia
- Numerous community organizations throughout the City of Philadelphia