Monthly Archives: October 2011

Restorative Jusitce provides a context to increase empathy.

Empathy.  A crucial emotional response to those around us.  We are hard-wired to connect with others.  From the book Born for Love which is about the: empathy that allows us to make social connections, and the power of human relationships to

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Stages, offenders, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice

Fear, nervous energy, anxiety all acceptable before Circle-keeping.

I have a reverance for the Circle process.  Specifically, the Restorative Justice Circle process as I learned it, from Kay Pranis, Linda Wolf, Jamie Williams, Oscar Reed, and many, many, many people who have joined me in Circles over the

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, College Circles, Kris Miner, offenders, personal growth, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, SCVRJP, Talking Piece, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week

St. Croix Valley Restorative Justice Program – planned sessions for 2012

St. Croix Valley Restorative Justice Program in River Falls, WI provides a range of Restorative Justice Services for our community.  Click here for look at 2012: SCVRJP 2012 color calendar. Locally, SCVRJP addresses public health concerns like teen driving, underage consumption,

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Filed under Circle Process, offenders, Restorative Justice, SCVRJP, Talking Piece, Underage Consumption Panels, Victim Impact Panels, Victims, Volunteers

Making amends feels good, and who doesn’t want to feel better?

Taking responsibility feels good.  Knowing you put in a hard days work, taking care of paying your bills, helping someone who needs it.  Just a few examples of being a responsible citizen and community member.  Responsibility is keeping yourself and

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Filed under Belonging, offenders, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week, Victims

The power of asking questions, which end of the same stick?

The art of asking questions is a skill a Circle-keeper, Restorative Justice Practioner needs to be building. Imagine this . . . how were you harmed?  People can express their hurts.  Consider an event where many people contributed to the

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Conferencing, offenders, Peace, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, storytelling

The will to live, is the will to heal.

Healing is living.  Our bodies and the planet are in constant cycles of change.  Old cells die off, new one’s take their place.  “Healing is how we maintain our health and wellness” – Angeles Arrien, The Four-Fold Way.  Arrien shares

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Filed under Circle Process, Circle Stages, Peace, personal growth, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice, RJ Resources, Victims

Raising Awareness – Film Series Addressing Bully Behavior

Our community in River Falls has developed a way to reach out and start discussions and raise awareness around bully behavior. The flyer Fall Film Series details the films selected and the discussion topics.

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Filed under Circle Process

Be Authentic, it builds relationships and we need relationships.

Every morning at 5 am, I get a  Note to Inspire. A recent message You are authentic when everything you say and everything you do you ACTUALLY believe. I have Simon’s book, Start with Why, I just haven’t got to reading

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Filed under Belonging, Community, Full Circle Experiences, Kris Miner, Peace, personal growth, Practitioner Skills, Relationships

Eye for an eye.5?

I’ve been embracing my singleness, I am attending things solo and being aware of the benefits.  Going solo forces you to strike up conversations with those around you.  Attending with someone, and your conversation stays within your group.  I’ve been

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Filed under Counter-point, Full Circle Experiences, Kris Miner, offenders, personal growth, Victims

Labels hurt. Restorativeness includes kindness to those that bully.

I stay away from the word “bully”.  I put in “bully behavior”.  Labels hurt people.  It’s hard to be called a name, its hard to be you, when a strong label has been applied.  My path to my views was

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Filed under Elementary Classroom Circles, offenders, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Research