ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the importance of guideposts in the careful work of applying restorative approaches to campus sexual misconduct (CSM). It offers five guideposts to consider when developing restorative justice (RJ) on the campus. These guideposts explored are understanding CSM and sexual violence more broadly; understanding RJ philosophy and practices; listening and responding to campus community needs; understanding and navigating national and local context; and reimagining campus response to CSM. Among early adopters, the successful implementation of restorative justice happened when practitioners understood their context, both locally and nationally, and knew how to successfully navigate both. US institutions of higher education are called to grapple with the swinging pendulum of federal policy with regard to CSM. Early adopters of RJIAs in our study recognized the importance of policy constraints while at the same time found ways to move beyond compliance to center the needs of the parties with restorative options.
