Sarah Byker James

Sarah Byker James has over 20 years of experience in Philadelphia higher education and non-profit settings, and has served as a writing instructor, advisor, tutor, and program administrator. Since 2013, she has taught at Community College of Philadelphia (CCP), where she is an Assistant Professor of English. At CCP, she also co-creates restorative conversations with her students and colleagues. She completed a Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership Professional Certificate through the University of San Diego’s Center for Restorative Justice in 2023.

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She is currently developing a Proficiency Certificate in Restorative Justice at Community College of Philadelphia in collaboration with CCP colleagues as well as local and national Restorative Justice practitioners. The certificate curriculum will focus on the principles and philosophy of restorative justice and its application in the criminal legal system as well as in disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. The program will provide relevant skills for students pursuing careers in criminal justice, education, behavioral health/human services, and psychology as well as any field in which conflict resolution and interpersonal communication are crucial skills. This project is conducted in partnership with the National Center on Restorative Justice and University of San Diego’s Center for Restorative Justice and funded by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. After CCP’s program is launched in 2025, it will be available as a model that can be adapted by other community colleges, HBCUs, tribal colleges, and prison education programs around the country.

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