Introduction to School Peacemaking Circles Lee Copenhagen, LCSW BARJ Project Trainer with the support of the Minnesota Department of Corrections and National Institute of Corrections Purpose: This module is designed to welcome participants, provide an opportunity to participate in a brief introduction circle, provide a background of peacekeeping circles and their applicability to resolve conflict and repair the harm caused by crime. Objectives: By the end of this module the participants will be able to: Identify their co-participants Describe the circle process Understand the basic concepts of restorative justice Recognize opportunities to use peacekeeping circles Time: 4 Hours Classroom: Circle chairs Handouts: Agenda & PowerPoint Slides Applications, & Circles: Use of Talking Stick, Feather, Rock Circle Sentencing excerpt

Overview of Circles (Pranis, 2005) A Peacemaking circle is a way of bring people together in which: Everyone is respected Everyone gets a chance to talk w/o interruption Everyone is equal Spiritual and emotional aspects of individual experience are welcomed

Overview (cont.) Peacemaking Circles are useful when two or more people: need to make decisions together have a disagreement need to address an experience that resulted in harm to someone want to work together as a team wish to celebrate wish to share difficulties want to learn from each other

What Are School Peacemaking Circles? A Process for bringing students/teachers/staff together as equals to talk about the offense Provides an atmosphere of respect & concern for everyone Face-to-face encounter to repair harm Led by trained Circle Keepers Participants decide Circle outcome Ask group if anyone has participated in circle before, would they be willing to share what it was about, if not discuss one of yours. Often a holy or sacred space, borrowed from first nations and native peoples: Canada, New Zealand, Navajo Nation Face- face Encounters include: Person(s) who has been harmed Person(s) who did the harm Supporters of each Others with a stake in outcome Trained Keepers Mediators or facilitators to keep the circle balanced Outcome Hard for some facilitator to really, “trust the process”

What are Circles? (cont.) Voluntary for victim Admission of responsibility by offender Incident-based, behavior-based Looks at underlying causes Focuses on empowering participants Comes to consensus agreement Being voluntary extremely important, remember this is victim centered and focused. Ask why? Get feedback early. Offender needs to admit guilt and hopefully remorse or there is a risk of re-victimizing the one who has been harmed (victim). Circles deal with specific incidents, sometimes underlying factors are brought up and can be addressed. No blaming language or personal attacks. Participants can change and grow, they have the power to “fix” or “repair” the harm caused by this incident. Offenders can make it right. Victims are able to stand up for themselves and demand “repair” without the state’s attorney. Solutions or repair are reached by all, this is truly a “just” solution.

Circles in Practice (Pranis , 2005) Ceremony Guidelines Talking Piece Facilitator or Keeper Consensus Decision-Making

Old School Approach to Offenses: Questions asked: What laws/rules were broken? Who did it? What punishment do they deserve? Not usually in a circle format, but in a courtroom with very strict rules and even its own language. Sometimes punishment includes monetary restitution, but can a price be placed on something priceless? The sentence or outcome will be retributive and punitive, based on past problem behavior, and really isn’t this just deficit based?

New guiding questions Who has been hurt? What are their needs? Whose obligations are they? What are the causes? Who has a ‘stake’ in this? What is the appropriate process to involve the stakeholders to put things right? (Zehr, 2002).

Restorative discipline: Recognizes the purpose of the misbehavior Addresses the needs of those harmed Works to put things right Aims to improve the future Seeks to heal Uses the collaborative process Stutzman & Mullet, 2005).

Typical Stages of the Peacemaking Circle Process Acceptance – community & affected parties determine if circle is appropriate Preparation - separate circles for various interests are held Gathering – All parties brought together Follow-up – Regular communication and check-ins Needs to be a screening process, sometimes community based organizations, other times from diversion programs in police or youth probation departments. Preparation important, offenders need to admit responsibility (or guilt), and sometimes “pre- circles” or prep conferences can be held. Starts with offender screening because he/she must be appropriate and willing, cannot start with victim because often the offense remains traumatic and why set victims up for expectations of a meeting then find out offender remains un-remorseful and uncooperative? Promises of repair and obligations will occur that must be followed up on to be sure they happened, again false promises will re-harm the victim. Hold next slide and ask who could participate in a circle of a young offender who vandalized a church.

VOM Peacemaking Circles KEEPER SUPPORTER COMMUNITY MEMBER VICTIM OFFENDER FAMILY MEMBER SUPPORTER POLICE OFFICER FAMILY MEMBER Have participants sketch this out on dry erase board before you show this. Get their input on circle participants. COMMUNITY MEMBER HUMAN SERVICES PROBATION OFFICER KEEPER

Where Circles Fit in Schools SUSPENSION CLASSROOM ROLEPLAYS, TEACH RJ SKILLS PRE- RETURN TO CLASS, PROGRAM Circle Opportunity Truancy circles have been very successful because they bring in such a large support network. Handout: Applications of Peacemaking Circles. ISS OR IMMEDIATELY EXPULSION RE-ENTRY TO DISTRICT

Applications for Schools Managing classroom behavior Handling school discipline Repair teacher / student relationship after theft of Ipad Repairing harms inflicted between students Providing space to begin talking about long standing conflicts from middle school Face to face talking in time of social networking & texting

New Applications for CA Schools AB 1729 Chaptered September 12, 2012 Amends Ed Code 48900 about bullying Amends Ed Code 48900.5 adding specific alternatives to suspension, including: Conferences Referrals to counselor, psychologist, social worker CWA, and school support staff Participation in a restorative justice program Program for prosocial behavior or anger mgmt A positive behavior approach with interventions

Justice should be healing. Crime is a wound. From Howard Zehr. Justice should be healing.

Understanding the Participants Victim / Offender Mediation Circle Umbreit (2000)

Restorative Circles Addresses Shared Interests Offender Interests Victim Interests School Community Interests Victim/Offender/ School

Restorative Approach Questions (Zehr, 1990) What is the harm? What needs to be done to repair the harm? Who is responsible for this repair?

Stakeholder Identification Questions Who was harmed? Who caused the harm? Who else may have a stake in the process?

Understanding Victims: Four Major Impact Areas Physical Emotional Psychological Financial

Victims’ Physical Responses Physical shock, disorientation, numbness Physiological reaction to “fight or flight or freeze” instinct: Adrenaline begins to pump Body relieves itself of excess materials Heart rate increases Hyperventilation, sweating, etc Heightened sensory perception Exhaustion

REMAIN NON-JUDGMENTAL Needs of the Victim TREAT WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOLLOW- UP REMAIN NON-JUDGMENTAL EMPOWER PROBLEMS & PLANS RETURN PHONE CALLS KEEP PROMISES PREDICT & PREPARE VENT & VALIDATE SAFETY & SECURITY

Helpful Responses The problem is the problem Support the victim Reject stereotypes and myths Appreciate natural and formal support systems Actively collaborate Examine your own attitudes, understanding and knowledge

Tolerate ambivalence, anger and roller coaster feelings Allow victim to work through his or her own problems Do offer support and information so victim can gain a sense of his or her own power Be willing to deal with complicated and difficult cases Be realistic in all aspects

Understanding Offenders: What are your attitudes about adolescents & offenders? Bazemore and Terry (1998) model suggests that the juvenile justice system has been dominated by two primary methods: Rehabilitative treatment models and approaches Punitive punish, control and contain

Restorative Goals To help the offender change: What they think (content) How they think (process) How they behave (behavior)

Applying Restorative Theory in Peacemaking Circles Who are the offenders? What might be the excuses they would use? What should you be attentive to when preparing for the circle? How might those who are related to the offender be affected?

School Community’s Role in Circles Speak to how the community is affected Hold the offender accountable Support completion of agreements Identify resources to contribute to agreements

School Community’s Role With Victims Support them Validate their experience Hold offenders directly accountable

School Community’s Role With Offenders Support them by looking at the behavior, not the individual Help them understand how their behavior affects their community Establish community norms Provide a means for reintegration

School Community’s Role With Itself Circle process builds community competency and problem solving - brings community together School community members share the responsibility for dealing with school climate issues

Role of the Circle Keepers Minnesota Department of Corrections and National Institute of Corrections

Dynamics of Difference White middle class (mainstream) culture has been imposed upon minorities Used to judge intelligence, mental health, beauty, appropriate communication Mainstream values applied to others draw mainstream conclusions

Cultural Competence . . . Is the ability to work effectively with people whose culture is different from your own Requires understanding your own biases Requires understanding the differences of the people with whom you interact

Taking Care of Yourself As a Keeper: Being Centered enables you to focus through others’ pain, frustration, extreme feelings, and ability or inability to reach agreement

Roles of the Keepers Create an atmosphere of respect and safety for all Create a tone of hope and optimism for constructive solutions Guide the process to remain true to underlying values Articulate the progress and accomplishments of the circle as it proceeds Clarify unresolved issues to focus the circle’s energy Participate as a community member

Basic Keeper Communication Skills Eliminate distractions Demonstrate active listening Suspend judgement Be empathetic Try not to assume

Be aware and tolerant of differences in communication styles Allow speakers to vent Model and teach use of "I" statements Be aware of your emotions and biases Acknowledge the speaker's emotions as existing and legitimate

Body Language Eye contact to all Physically centered, sitting with body balanced, able to see everyone easily Alert, but relaxed muscles Use body and eye contact to direct speaker to talk to all

How to Give Feedback: Communication Checklist The problem is the problem Separate behavior from the person Give suggestions of alternatives Acknowledge skills well displayed Be honest, but talk with the intention of helping to improve Look to learn for yourself

Allowing Emotional Expression Keep facial expressions neutral or supportive Pass tissues to teary participants Check in on all participants Use silence: count 10 after a strong emotional expression If participant expresses anger inappropriately, remind them of ground rules

Problematic Facilitation Techniques Talking for participants Interrupting Low skilled communicators Dominating participants’ discussion Allowing participants to look at keeper and talk only to keeper

Co-Keeping More difficult to coordinate scheduling Increases safety Allows hearing or seeing things one person would have missed Helps facilitate difficult or complex sessions Enables shared feedback, viewpoints

More thoughts of the Roles of the Keepers Be compassionate, sincere, respectful Listen! Let people vent their emotions Stay neutral (“equally partial”), while disapproving of harm done Be a facilitator, not judge or negotiator Do not be directive

Don’t counsel participants Be aware of community resources Model and teach communication skills Be able to work independently Be willing to keep records Be able to do a very basic readiness check Be willing to evaluate yourself and co-keeper

Stages of the Circle Process Circle Processes (Pranis, 2005)

Stage 1: Determining Suitability Are key parties willing to participate? Are trained facilitators available? Will the situation allow the time required to use the Circle Process? Can physical and emotional safety be maintained?

Stage 2 Preparation Identify who needs to participate. Who has been impacted? Who has resources, skills, or knowledge that might be needed? Familiarize parties with the process Begin exploring the context of the issue

Stage 3: Convening all parties Indentify shared values and develop guidelines Engage storytelling to build relationships and connections Share concerns and hopes Express feelings Probe underlying causes of conflict or harm Generate ideas for addressing harm or resolving conflict Determine areas of consensus for action Develop agreement and clarify responsibilities

Stage 4: Follow-up Assess progress on agreements. Are all parties fullfilling their obligations? Probe for causes of any failure to fullfill n obligation, clarify responsibilites, and identify next steps if the failure continues Adjust agreements as needed based on new information or developments Celebrate successes

Guidelines for a restorative conversation Safe and Peaceful Schools ( Winslade & Williams, 2012)

Establishing the Conversation Who is effected by what happened? Who has a stake in seeing things put right?

Identifying the problem What happened? What part did you play? What can we call it? (the problem is the problem) What drew you into the trouble

Mapping the effects How did it get you to feel? What did it get you to do? What did it get you thinking? How did it affect the way you are with each other? How have other people been affected?

Addressing the harm What do you think of the way that this incident has affected people? Are you happy with that? Was it fair? To the victim: If this situation were to be put right, what would you need? To the aggressor: How could we make sure this doesn’t happen again?

Forming the plan Who will do what? When and where? How will we know it is done?

Role Play

Next steps

References Pranis, K. (2005) Circle processes: A new/old approach to peacemaking. Intercourse, PA: Good Books. Pranis, K., Stuart, B.,& Wedge, M. (2003). Peacemaking circles: From crime to community. St Paul, MN: Living Justice Press. Winslade, J & Williams, M. (2012) Safe and Peaceful schools: Addressing conflict and eliminating violence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Zehr, H (1990). Changing lenses: A new focus for crime and justice. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press.

Lee Copenhagen, MSW, LCSW, is a nationally certified restorative justice trainer and practitioner who has conducted trainings in victim offender dialog, circle keeping, mediation, delinquency prevention, and restorative justice. Lee has been working on high school campuses for over twenty-five years in many different roles including juvenile investigator, youth probation officer, social worker, youth gang researcher, teacher, counselor, family therapist, and parent. www.cojustice.org