---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 12514"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "12514"
heading: "Pilot program on restorative practices"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/12514"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Comprehensive Acts"
  - "Chapter 121 — Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
  - "Subchapter III — Violence Against Women"
  - "Part P — Restorative Practices"
---

# §12514. Pilot program on restorative practices

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Director—** The term “Director” means the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women.
  - (2) **Eligible entity—** The term “eligible entity” means—
    - (A) a [State](/usc/34/11103.md?p=7);
    - (B) a [unit of local government](/usc/34/11103.md?p=8);
    - (C) a [tribal government](/usc/34/11103.md?p=45);
    - (D) a [tribal organization](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-45);
    - (E) a [victim service provider](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-50);
    - (F) an institution of higher education (as defined in [section 1001(a) of title 20](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a); and
    - (G) a private or public [nonprofit organization](/usc/34/11103.md?p=23), including—
      - (i) a [tribal nonprofit organization](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-44); and
      - (ii) a faith-based [nonprofit organization](/usc/34/11103.md?p=23).
  - (3) **Restorative practice—** The term “[restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31)” means a practice relating to a specific harm that—
    - (A) is community-based and unaffiliated with any civil or criminal legal process;
    - (B) is initiated by a victim of the harm;
    - (C) involves, on a voluntary basis and without any evidence of coercion or intimidation of any victim of the harm by any individual who committed the harm or anyone associated with any such individual—
      - (i) 1 or more individuals who committed the harm;
      - (ii) 1 or more victims of the harm; and
      - (iii) the community affected by the harm through 1 or more representatives of the community;
    - (D) shall include and has the goal of—
      - (i) collectively seeking accountability from 1 or more individuals who committed the harm;
      - (ii) developing a written process whereby 1 or more individuals who committed the harm will take responsibility for the actions that caused harm to 1 or more victims of the harm; and
      - (iii) developing a written course of action plan—
        - (I) that is responsive to the needs of 1 or more victims of the harm; and
        - (II) upon which 1 or more victims, 1 or more individuals who committed the harm, and the community can agree; and
    - (E) is conducted in a [victim services](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-51) framework that protects the safety and supports the autonomy of 1 or more victims of the harm and the community.
- (b) **Grants authorized—** The Director shall award grants to eligible entities to develop and implement a program, or to assess best practices, for—
  - (1) [restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) to prevent or address [domestic violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-12), [dating violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-11), [sexual assault](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-35), or [stalking](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-36);
  - (2) training by eligible entities, or for eligible entities, [courts](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-7), or prosecutors, on [restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) and program implementation; and
  - (3) evaluations of a [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1).
- (c) **Priority—** In awarding grants under [subsection (b)](#b), the Director shall give priority to eligible entities that submit proposals that meaningfully address the needs of [culturally specific](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-8) or [underserved populations](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-46).
- (d) **Qualifications—** To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall demonstrate a history of comprehensive training and experience in working with victims of [domestic violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-12), [dating violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-11), [sexual assault](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-35), or [stalking](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-36).
- (e) **Program requirements—**
  - (1) **In general—** An eligible entity or a subgrantee of an eligible entity that offers a [restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) program with funds awarded under this section shall ensure that such program—
    - (A) includes set practices and procedures for [screening](/usc/34/11103.md?p=37) the suitability of any individual who committed a harm based on—
      - (i) the history of civil and criminal complaints against the individual involving [domestic violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-12), [sexual assault](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-35), [dating violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-11), or [stalking](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-36);
      - (ii) parole or probation violations of the individual or whether active parole or probation supervision of the individual is being conducted for prior offenses involving [domestic violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-12), [sexual assault](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-35), [dating violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-11), or [stalking](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-36);
      - (iii) the risk to the safety of any victim of the harm based on an [evidence-based](/usc/34/11103.md?p=34) risk [assessment](/usc/34/11103.md?p=38);
      - (iv) the risk to public safety, including an [evidence-based](/usc/34/11103.md?p=34) risk [assessment](/usc/34/11103.md?p=38) of the danger to the public; and
      - (v) past participation of any individual who committed the harm in [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) programing; and
    - (B) denies eligibility to participate in the program for any individual who committed a harm against whom there is—
      - (i) a pending felony or misdemeanor [prosecution](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-28) for an offense against any victim of the harm or a dependent of any such victim;
      - (ii) a [restraining order](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-29) or a [protection order](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-29) (as defined in [section 2266 of title 18](/usc/18/2266.md)) that protects any victim of the harm or a dependent of any such victim, unless there is an exception in the [restraining order](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-29) or protective order allowing for participation in a [restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) program;
      - (iii) a pending criminal charge involving or relating to [sexual assault](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-35), including rape, human trafficking, or child abuse, including child sexual abuse; or
      - (iv) a conviction for child sexual abuse against the victim or a sibling of the victim if the victim or sibling of the victim is currently a minor.
  - (2) **Referral—** With respect to a risk [assessment](/usc/34/11103.md?p=38) described in [paragraph (1)(A)(iii)](#e-1-A-iii) for which an eligible entity or a subgrantee of an eligible entity determines that a victim or a dependent of a victim are at significant risk of subsequent serious injury, [sexual assault](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-35), or death, the eligible entity or subgrantee shall refer the victim or dependent to other [victim services](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-51), instead of [restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31).
- (f) **Nondisclosure of confidential or private information—** For the purpose of [section 12291(b)(2) of this title](/usc/34/12291.md?p=b-2), an individual described in [subsection (a)(3)(C)](#a-3-C) shall be considered a person receiving [services](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-51).
- (g) **Relation to criminal justice intervention—** [Restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) performed with funds awarded under this section are not intended to function as a replacement for criminal justice intervention for a specific harm.
- (h) **Reports—**
  - (1) **Report to Director—** As a part of the report required to be submitted under [section 12291(b)(6) of this title](/usc/34/12291.md?p=b-6), an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall annually submit to the Director information relating to the effectiveness of the [restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) carried out with amounts from the grant, including—
    - (A) the number of individuals for whom the eligible entity supported a [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31);
    - (B) if applicable, the number of individuals who—
      - (i) sought [restorative practices](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) from the eligible entity; and
      - (ii) the eligible entity could not serve;
    - (C) if applicable, the number of individuals—
      - (i) who sought [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) training;
      - (ii) who received [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) training;
      - (iii) who provided [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) training; and
      - (iv) to whom the eligible entity could not provide [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) training;
    - (D) a victim evaluation component that is documented through survey or interview, including the satisfaction of victims of a harm with the [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) [services](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-51);
    - (E) if applicable, the number of individuals who committed a harm and—
      - (i) successfully completed and executed a written course of action plan;
      - (ii) failed to successfully complete and execute a written course of action plan; and
      - (iii) were involved in a criminal or civil complaint involving [domestic violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-12), [dating violence](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-11), [sexual assault](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-35), or [stalking](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-36) against the victims[^1] or victims during the course of the [restorative practice](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-31) process; and
    - (F) any other qualitative or quantitative information determined by the Director.
  - (2) **Report to Congress—** Not later than 2 years after March 15, 2022, and biennially thereafter, the Director shall submit to Congress a report that summarizes the reports received by the Director under [paragraph (1)](#h-1).
- (i) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to carry out this section.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–322, title IV, § 41801, as added Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title I, § 109(a), Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 852.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section not effective until Oct. 1 of the first fiscal year beginning after Mar. 15, 2022, see section 4(a) of div. W of Pub. L. 117–103, set out as a note under section 6851 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.