Children at risk are predisposed to becoming at-risk teenagers involved in the juvenile justice system. American Humane promotes restorative justice to help young offenders repair the harm they caused and accept accountability for their actions, to decrease the likelihood that they will progress to the adult criminal justice system. This is achieved through a community-based approach to dealing with crime, the effects of crime and the prevention of crime, called Restorative Conferencing for Youth Justice.

Restorative Justice for Youth is using restorative processes to transform juvenile justice systems across the United States. American Humane's initiative builds on its decade-long work on Family Group Decision Making for child welfare and an extremely successful practice approach in Northern California.

This initiative focuses on research and training for juvenile justice, child welfare, courts and other related systems. In this alternative way to look at the criminal justice system, young offenders are required to accept responsibility for their crimes and must take an active role in repairing the damage their crime has created, victims are empowered to ensure that their own needs are met and to resolve their feelings toward the crime, and communities can enjoy a lower crime rate and safer neighborhoods.