Category Archives: Circle Stages

Attention schools: 3 reasons for “primary” Circles, before “secondary” or “tertiary”.

The PBIS or public health models work perfectly with Restorative Justice Circles. I am not sure of another process that can be used at each of the Tiers.  Restorative Justice Circles work on each and every level with only slight modifications to the

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Elementary Classroom Circles, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice in Schools

UW Extension and Restorative Justice have SO much in common!

I recently attended a summit on the social-emotional well-being of children and families in Pierce & St. Croix Counties.  These are the same counties that SCVRJP has been serving since 2001. I certainly appreciated hearing the term, the focus and intention

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Filed under Circle Process, Circle Stages, Community, Elementary Classroom Circles, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, SCVRJP, Talking Piece

Effective, even alone, co-keep a Restorative Justice Circle.

An element of an effective Restorative Justice Circle is engaging each and every person in the power of the Circle.  This can be a difficult group process management skill.  Lucky for Circlekeepers, the Circle itself brings that.  In essence you

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Filed under Belonging, Circle Keeping, Circle Stages, Kris Miner, personal growth, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Restorative Justice, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week

Restorative Justice Circles, meeting the social brain needs, developing humanity.

For an example outside of this blog and SCVRJP, check out this presentation:  on DMC, from OJJDP, https://www.nttac.org/index.cfm?event=webinarJuvenileJustice   The slides and information on Circles start on PPT slide 44 (ppt here). What is described in this program, is very much like

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Community, Full Circle Experiences, Kris Miner, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice, SCVRJP, Talking Piece, Teaching RJ

Caution and blessing, Restorative Justice Circles can quickly create a culture.

When Kay Pranis and Jennifer Ball came to visit SCVRJP, they met with a few of our volunteers and stayed for a Controlled Substance Intervention Circle.  I realized that SCVRJP has developed a culture of Circles.  As we spoke about

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, College Circles, Community, Practitioner Skills, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice, SCVRJP, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week, Victims, Volunteers

Circle keeping from the depths of your humanity.

Thank you Webster dictionary on-line.  Humanity:  The totality of human beings.  Human Beings are mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.  I believe that Circle keeping is most effective when the keeper is working towards a balance and wellness.  I say working

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Filed under Belonging, Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, personal growth, Practitioner Skills, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice, Teaching RJ

Stronger the bond and relationship, deeper the truth told.

My Mom died when I was 20, she had a battle with cancer that began when I was 13.  That single circumstance has influenced my parenting in many, many ways.  Other circumstances have flowed into parenting, it’s a complex human

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages

School-based Restorative Justice Circles – handouts and example demonstration.

  In a school gym, we placed the Circle Center items in the basketball center court.  Four student volunteers each had a direction, and at each direction 3 months of the year were designated and students divided themselves based on

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice in Schools, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week

Different types of Restorative Justice Circles and a practitioner perspective.

Just as there are 12 major markings on the face of a clock, I could list 12 different kinds of Circles.  In four basic categories those Circles would be community building – peace building – repair building – and celebration.  This

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Filed under Belonging, Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Community, Full Circle Experiences, Peace, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, SCVRJP, Tip of the Week

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