1. Creating conditions for realizing the gift of conflict
Restorative Circles
Creating conditions for realizing
the gift of conflict

2. Paradigm Shift
No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. ~ Albert Einstein

3. What is “Restorative”? RESTORATIVE (noun)
c Latin “restaurere” – to repair, rebuild, renew
Bringing back to a previous condition (e.g., friendship)
Giving back something that was lost or taken
Bringing back strength, health and well-being

4. What is a “Practice”? PRACTICE (noun)
c.1400 – Medieval Latin perform, carry out
The actual application of ideas, beliefs, and methods, rather than theory about such application
Habitual, repeated, customary and expected procedure
Regular performance of activities in order to improve skill and proficiency

5. What are Restorative Practices?
A social science
A theory for engaging conflict
Repeated, systematic, application of concepts that improve how we:
RELATE to each other
REPAIR rifts in relationships
RESTORE dignity and community after acts of harm

6. Why Restorative Practices?

7. Retributive or Punitive Justice
What law has been broken?
Who broke it?
How shall they be punished?

8. Defining “Restorative Justice”
An approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender.
Based on a theory of justice that considers crime and wrongdoing to be an offence against an individual or community, rather than the state.

9. What is Restorative Justice?
Restorative Justice is a process to involve, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in a specific offense and to collectively identify and address harms, needs, and obligations, in order to heal and put things as right as possible. ~Howard Zehr

10. Restorative Principles
Ideally involves everyone impacted by what happened (i.e., community involvement)
Cares for well-being of “victim”, “offender” and community
Focus on repairing harm
Voluntariness
Power sharing

11. Working WITH people

12. Restorative or Unitive Justice
What harm has been caused and to whom?
What needs have arisen based on this harm?
Whose obligation is it to meet these needs?

13. Restorative Justice Goals
Process: To create a container where
the needs of all parties matter
“truth” can be spoken
perspective taking is possible
Goals
Identify and repair the harm done
Restore relationships
Create conditions to decrease likelihood of future harm

14. Think back…
Think about a person with whom you have conflict (brother, sister, parent, friend)
Think about the last time you had a conflict about something OR you were mad at them
How did it get worked out? Who did what?
Is this how it usually goes?

15. Summary Conflict Styles Aggressive (Win-Lose) Avoidant (Lose-Lose)
Appeasing
(Lose-Win)
Approach
(Win-Win)

16. The Restorative Pyramid
RESTORE
dignity and social cohesion
REPAIR
misunderstandings, mistakes, missed opportunities
RELATE
by building connection, trust, mutuality, community

17. The RJ Umbrella

18. When things go wrong (and they will): how do we respond restoratively?
Walk toward conflict
Create containers to hold the conflict
Seek to understand (not to blame)
Perceived harm
Unmet needs
Make things right
Repair harm
Restore relationships
Respond to unmet needs
Implement structural changes

19. Case Study: John T. Williams
Dashboard cam video
Circle Agreements
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