Here in the United States, we are seeing an increase of executions coupled with disproportionate incarceration and detention of people of color that violates human dignity and relationships of all involved, including victims of crime and the community at large. This threatens not only individual lives, but also the social fabric of our country, deepening mistrust and isolation where solidarity and safety are needed most.
Transformation of the U.S. criminal legal system requires us to prioritize safety, responsibility, and healing for all who are impacted by crime and incarceration, including victims and communities. The Catholic Church encourages “models of restorative justice that seek to address crime in terms of the harm done to victims and communities, not simply as a violation of law” (Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice – A Statement of the Catholic Bishops of the United States, 2000).
This dialogue highlighted the life-giving and innovative work of people who are reshaping how justice is understood and practiced as facilitators, journalists, and legal system actors. These leaders arrived from four distinct vantage points: accompanying communities impacted by violence; facilitating restorative justice dialogues; advancing public understanding through journalism; and transforming the criminal legal system from the inside at its highest levels. Together, they discussed how restorative justice—rooted in mercy, truth, and racial equity—can create conditions for solidarity, subsidiarity, and human flourishing in communities and systems.
Kimberly Mazyck, associate director for engagement at the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, moderated the dialogue.
Catholic Mobilizing Network and the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life co-sponsored this dialogue as part of the 2025 National Catholic Conference on Restorative Justice. Hosted in person for conference attendees in Atlanta, Georgia, this dialogue was also livestreamed.
