Professor Mark Umbreit, School of Social Work, has been ranked among the top 50 most notable social workers in U.S. history by the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). The list is chronological by date of birth; Umbreit is #48. The rankings are based on the quality and impact of the person’s work. Umbreit received his PhD in Social Work from the University of Minnesota. His three decades of work have focused on restorative justice, indigenous justice and healing, human rights, victim services, criminal/juvenile justice, peacemaking, spirituality, forgiveness, reconciliation, mediation, conflict resolution, and social change. He has provided lectures, training, and consultation in nearly every state and more than 25 countries on every major continent. His 11 books and more than 200 other publications have had a major impact on criminal justice policy in the U.S. and other countries. His training films and publications have been translated into many languages. Mark’s recent work has been with the United Nations Development Program in the Islamic Republic of Turkey and in Brazil.
Umbreit is the founding director of the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking in the School of Social Work. He serves on the faculty of the Center for Spirituality & Healing in the Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota, teaching courses on “Peacebuilding Through Mindfulness Practice,” and “Forgiveness & Healing.” He also serves as a visiting professor at the Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, teaching a course on “Peacemaking and Spirituality.” In past years, he has also served as a fellow of the International Centre for Healing and the Law, and a fellow of the Center for Contemplative Practice in Society.
As a practitioner, he periodically facilitates peace-building circles in the community, and restorative dialogues between family survivors of homicide or other victims of severe violence and the offender in their quest for healing and strength. Over recent years he has worked with colleagues in Northern Ireland, Italy, Liberia, and Israel/Palestine on peace building initiatives.
Umbreit has provided technical assistance and training in support of restorative justice initiatives and victim offender mediation/conferencing programs in hundreds of communities in the U.S. and many countries. His multi-site and multi-national research has contributed significantly to restorative justice policy development in the U.S. and other countries, as well as providing resource materials and guidance to practitioners. He recently worked as a senior international consultant with the United Nations Development Program and the Ministry of Justice in Turkey to support their legislative efforts to implement victim offender mediation throughout the country. At the National Restorative Justice Conference in June of 2013 he was elected the founding president of the new National Association for Community and Restorative Justice in the U.S. and was re-elected to a second term.
