The Framework of Restorative Justice: A Conversation with Yoana Tchoukleva
This Is Actually Happening
Wondery
4.6 • 9.9K Ratings
🗓️ 27 February 2025
⏱️ 70 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As part of our series, “A World Beyond Revenge” on Restorative Justice, today’s episode features Yoana Tchoukleva. She is an attorney, community organizer and restorative justice practitioner. She has held dozens of restorative justice accountability processes, both inside of carceral institutions and in the community.
Most recently, she served as Assistant District Attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office where she expanded access to Restorative Justice Diversion for youth and adults facing felony charges. Currently, she teaches Restorative Justice Diversion at UC Berkeley School of Law, leads a new reentry project at Impact Justice, and supports many movements for change. Yoana received her JD from Berkeley Law and her BA in International Human Rights from the University of Chicago.
You can email Yoana at [email protected]. You can reach out to her on Instagram @yoana.tch, and on LinkedIn.
Please consider donating to Atunse Justice League through their fiscal sponsor Restorative Community Solutions, and to The Ahimsa Collective.
Yoana would like to give special thanks to Sujatha Baliga, Shilpa Jain, Zakee Hutchison and Jonathan Bradley.
When not working, Yoana serves as an elected delegate to the California Democratic Party, associate member of the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee, and facilitator with Yes! She lives in Oakland on unceded Ohlone land and loves to dance.
Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits
Content/Trigger Warnings: crime, assault, justice, incarceration, explicit language
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Wondry Plus subscribers can listen to exclusive episodes of This Is Actually Happening |
| 0:05.0 | by joining Wondry Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts. |
| 0:09.6 | This Is Actually Happening features real experiences that often include traumatic events. |
| 0:13.9 | Please consult the show notes for specific content warnings on each episode |
| 0:17.0 | and for more information about support services. |
| 0:33.2 | Hi listeners. As we continue our five-part series, A World Beyond Revenge, I'm delighted to present a bonus conversation today with Yawanna Chukleva, who collaborated with us to bring this series to life. |
| 0:39.3 | In our conversation, Yawanna provides a deep dive into the framework and worldview of restorative justice. |
| 0:45.3 | Its historical roots, how it's evolved over time, and how it's been implemented. |
| 0:50.3 | She also addresses some of the criticisms, challenges, benefits, and impacts of restorative justice practices here in the U.S. and around the world. |
| 0:58.6 | Yawanna is an attorney, community organizer, and restorative justice practitioner. |
| 1:02.9 | She's held dozens of restorative justice accountability processes, both inside of carceral institutions and in the community. |
| 1:10.1 | Most recently, she served as assistant |
| 1:12.0 | district attorney in San Francisco, where she expanded access to restorative justice diversion |
| 1:16.5 | for youth and adults facing felony charges. Currently, she teaches restorative justice diversion |
| 1:21.8 | at UC Berkeley School of Law, leads a new re-entry project at Impact Justice, and supports |
| 1:27.1 | many movements for change. |
| 1:29.0 | Yawanna received her JD from Berkeley Law and her BA and International Human Rights |
| 1:33.2 | from the University of Chicago. |
| 1:35.2 | And now my conversation about the framework of restorative justice with Yawanna Chukleva. |
| 1:42.3 | Our criminal legal system, the |
| 1:45.7 | incentive is to deny. |
| 1:48.1 | You know, I didn't do this thing or I didn't |
... |
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