Date of Award

2026-05-22

Degree Name

PhD Leadership Studies

Dissertation Committee

Antonio Jiménez-Luque, PhD, Chair Robert Donmoyer, PhD, Member Sheila McMahon, PhD, MDiv, MSW, LCSW, Member

Keywords

restorative justice, leadership, criminal justice, youth diversion, practitioners, decision-making, sensemaking, communication

Abstract

Restorative justice (RJ), a philosophy, practice, and movement inspired by local, largely Indigenous traditions, has increasingly been introduced in modern criminal justice systems as an alternative process to more comprehensively address harmful incidents, heal harms, and meet victim’s needs. While RJ implementation growth is encouraging for its advocates, there remain significant questions around formalized RJ practice. Specifically, little is known about the decision-making process in implementing and administering RJ programming within criminal justice. This dissertation aimed to contribute to the understanding of RJ practice and implementation efforts within criminal justice systems by putting emphasis on practitioners already working directly in RJ programs. Using a relational, sensemaking, and discursive leadership theoretical framework, the dissertation put emphasis on developing an understanding of how these individuals effectively bridge—or, possibly, fail to bridge—the gap between those practicing RJ and program/policy decision-makers.

The dissertation utilized a within-case study qualitative design. Two separate interviews at different points in time were conducted with 12 participants across 4 distinct roles within an RJ youth diversion program in the United States. Participants included decision-makers and direct service providers from both the District Attorney (D.A.)’s office and the non-profit administering the program. Research findings determined that there exists a strong degree of disconnection between the D.A. and non-profit, and between decision-makers and direct service providers. Disconnection foundationally stemmed from the clash between RJ philosophy and rigid criminal justice system structures, and manifested in day-to-day program operations, as well as in sensemaking and discursive contexts. Additionally, the tension in navigating successes and compromises within implementation, and the negative impact disconnection caused to participants was highlighted. Finally, mitigation strategies used by participants to address disconnection within program implementation were examined. Implications for leadership theory explored the importance of sensemaking, discursive, and relational leadership in disconnection and its mitigation efforts. The importance of each theory was considered both individually and in their interconnectedness to each other. The interconnectedness of theories also served to contribute to emerging restorative leadership theory. Finally, the benefits and risks of engaging in deeper, more comprehensive dialogue to address foundational disconnection was discussed for practice implications.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Leadership Studies

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a CC BY-SA License.

Download

Share

COinS