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Are there Confidentiality Protections for Restorative Justice Practices?

This is a big question in the field of restorative justice practices. Are there Confidentiality Protections for Restorative Justice Practices?  ..

Doing Time in Education: The School to Prison Pipeline

We hear a lot these days about the “School to Prison Pipeline”. There is data, anecdotal evidence and concern all around. Get inspired to end it and join the Colorado College events this month. ..

Get the audio from the Feb 8th webinar about RJ Funding

SAVE THE DATES! 2016 RJ Colorado Conference in VAIL September 25-27

The Colorado RJ Council is pleased to announce it will host the 2016 Colorado Restorative Justice Conference, September 25 -27, at the Vail Marriott.

Save the dates and get ready for a look through the RJ Lens at the trends, triumphs and treks ahead.

This event promises to offer the RJ Community in Colorado and beyond a look at Restorative Justice Practices in Colorado from our 25 year history to the present and well into the future.

There will be great opportunities for everyone interested in Restorative Justice Practices from the new-comers to long-timers.

The nation’s first Restorative Justice Film Festival will provide tools and insights into how to communicate our work.

Call for Film Festival entries and Presenters as well as registration for early birds and more about the event will be coming soon.

Stay tuned here at www.rjcolorado.org.

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Restorative Practitioners Needed

The Colorado Restorative Networks group formed in August of 2014. It's mission is to bring restorative practices to all aspects of life in Colorado from homes, to neighborhoods, to workplaces, to policy making, to places of worship, etc.

Our Network members are involved in a variety of projects, using restorative practices in traditional and pioneering ways. Our members interests vary. They include restorative practices in schools, racial justice, restorative parenting and divorce, restorative dialogues on eldercare, the environment, policy making and mental illness, restorative circles for domestic violence survivors, neighborhood and community building, and restorative workplaces. We meet monthly to share ideas, get to know one another, and build collaborations. To learn more about the network visit www.restorativenetworks.com. We meet every first Thursday of the month from 10:15 am till 12:15 pm, either in Boulder, Longmont or Arvada. We have the ability to patch people in by Skype.

One of our current projects involves bringing the restorative principles of relationship, respect, responsibility, repair, and reintegration to the City of Longmont as a way to address the impact of mental illness related issues on the city's residents. We are going to hold a series of community conversations that are adapted restorative peacemaking/solution circle processes. Our ultimate goal is to give voice to those who are directly and indirectly effected by mental illness, and to bring those who are interested in making a difference together to create community-based solutions to the crises that occur.

We need volunteer facilitators. If you are a Restorative Justice and/or Nonviolent Communication (TM) practitioner and would like to be involved in facilitating these conversations, please contact Jessica Dancingheart at (303) 589-8420 or jessica@openingtopossibilities.com.

If you would like to get on the Restorative Networks mail list, email Jessica at jessica@openingtopossibilities.com.

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Restorative Practices In Schools For Colorado In 2016

In 2016, one of the RJ Council’s priorities is to support the development and expansion of Restorative Practices in Schools (RPS). In an effort to move forward as a statewide community, the RJ Council will convene three meetings in the first quarter of the year to establish best practices in RPS. ..

RJ Colorado- 2015 In Review And A Peek At 2016

2015 proved to be a productive year for the RJ Council and RJCO.

• HB15-1094, the 2015 RJ Bill, was passed unanimously into law, adding RJ Council members, new ways to receive funds and adding levels of offense for the pilots.
• The RJ Pilots served over 300 juveniles through diversion.
• The RJ Cash Fund acquired enough funding to support a full-time staff person, up from half time.
• The RJ Council held a retreat and established a new vision, mission statement and priorities for RJ in CO.
• Training was provided by the RJ Council in 5 events serving over 150 people around the state.
• The RJ Council presented to people from around the state, nation and world in 2015.

And 2016 promises to be an exciting year of growth for Restorative Justice Practices in Colorado.

• The RJ Council is hosting a series of meetings to develop standards and support for implementing restorative practices in schools.
• The 2016 Restorative Justice Conference will be held in Vail September 25-27.
• The RJ Council will expand funding beyond the RJ Pilots.
• A new RJColorado.org website will be launched.
• Applications for a new RJ Practitioner Member will be accepted late in the year.

There are always opportunities for members of the RJ Community to get involved, share your news and events and contribute to the blog.

Please contact the Colorado RJ Coordinator, Deb Witzel for questions and more information. Deb.witzel@judicial.state.co.us

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Circle Round Restorative Best Practices Merges With Restorative Solutions, Inc.

Circle Round Restorative Best Practices Merges With Restorative Solutions, Inc.

Strategic Combination Will Increase Effectiveness of Service Delivery of Restorative Practices and Create a Powerful Collaboration Between Two Leading Restorative Justice Organizations

Boulder, CO (December 15, 2015) – Two leading restorative justice organizations in Boulder, Colorado—Restorative Solutions, Inc. and Circle Round Restorative Best Practices, LLC—have agreed to merge under the name and auspices of Restorative Solutions, Inc. The merger will allow two leading restorative justice organizations to combine their efforts, talents, and contacts in the field to provide more comprehensive training and consulting services to schools, towns, governmental agencies and juvenile justice organizations.

This merger comes following the passing of Anne Rogers, a pioneer and leader in the field of Restorative Justice in Colorado and the nation, who was the founder of Restorative Solutions. Anne strongly supported the continuation of Restorative Solutions following her passing.

“The combination of Restorative Solutions and Circle Round Restorative Best Practices creates an exciting opportunity for our company, for our clients, and for the field at large," said Randy Compton, President and Co-founder, Restorative Solutions, Inc.

Catherine Childs, CEO and Founder of Circle Round Restorative Best Practices, brings more than a decade of experience in the field of Restorative Justice practices and also with Restorative Solutions, Inc. She recently took over Anne Roger’s position as director of Restorative Justice Services for the 20th Judicial District Probation Department.

Restorative Solutions, Inc. has a long history of restorative justice work in both schools and criminal/juvenile justice and was the lead training organization for Denver Public Schools when they launched their district-wide “restorative practices” program in 2007.

Catherine Childs brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the merger, including Circle Round to Stay in School, a truancy prevention and intervention model, and a community based Restorative Justice services model and training manual for municipal and district courts that can be adapted and implemented around the country.

This merger began with a five-day Summer Institute for Restorative Practices held at Flagstaff Academy in Longmont Colorado, which was a collaboration between Restorative Solutions, Inc., Flagstaff Academy and Circle Round Restorative Best Practices. Catherine Childs led the highly successful, two-day workshop on Implementation Science.

About Restorative Solutions, Inc.

Restorative Solutions, Inc. offers a fresh approach to improving our response to wrongdoing, crime and conflict—in schools, community and criminal justice systems, and workplaces. Our clients recognize the potential of restorative justice and restorative practices and are committed to creating healthy organizations and communities of engaged and caring citizens. Restorative Solutions is dedicated to inspiring and supporting individuals, organizations and communities to embrace restorative community justice values, principles and practices. We encourage the use of these principles and practices to bring out the best response to wrongdoing, crime and conflicts in a wide variety of settings.

Our services include, skills training in restorative practices, program development, program management, strategic planning and integration, partnership building, community development and team development. Our trainers and consultants have assisted hundreds of organizations and communities nationally and internationally in finding ways to incorporate restorative justice values, principles and practices.

For more information call Restorative Solutions, Inc. at 303-449-2737 or visit their website at http://restorativesolutions.us

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Restorative Justice Practices: an innovative approach to dealing with crime with a long history in CO

Colorado’s restorative justice movement has been in motion since the early 1990’s. Innovators and leaders in the judicial system, law enforcement, schools and Colorado communities have been test driving restorative justice practices for almost 25 years.

Programs like the Center for Restorative Practices in Alamosa, CO and what is now known as the Longmont Community Justice Partnership have been operating since then, providing victims with a voice in response to the crimes that harmed them and offenders a safe place to take responsibility for their crimes in order to make things right to the extent possible.

Restorative justice practices allow communities to engage trained citizens in responding to crime and conflict in a way that often satisfies all participants. Data has been collected for over a decade in CO showing over 95% of restorative justice participants are satisfied or very satisfied with their experience in restorative justice and believe everyone was treated fairly. The statistics also indicate the recidivism rate among offenders who complete their restorative justice agreements to repair harm are far less likely to recidivate.

Since the inception of the Colorado Restorative Justice Council in 2007, restorative justice practices have expanded, especially in the juvenile realms. The four juvenile diversion restorative justice pilot project in district attorney’s offices around the state will soon have their first report available here at RJCO.org.

Restorative justice practices in Colorado are expanding rapidly in schools. Since the joint statement put forth by the Federal Departments of Education and Justice in January of 2014 training and support for schools and students has taken off at an exciting pace.

As CO continues to lead the field and support other states in developing their restorative justice practices, we hope to see more data building a body of evidence that has restorative justice practices become the first response to crime and conflict. Students and adults alike are benefiting from this innovative response to crime that brings people responsible for crimes face to face with those they have harmed so communities can be safer for all.

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RJ Colorado to host first Restorative Justice Films Festival in US

As Restorative justice moves closer to becoming a household phrase more short films and full length feature films are getting produced on the topic. The Colorado Restorative Justice Council has decided it is time to find the best of these films and celebrate them

These films help educate audiences about the values and principles of restorative justice practices. The stories move viewers to talk about the courage of those involved in restorative justice and expand the awareness of this innovative practice involving those most directly impacted by crime and conflict.

Starting in January of 2016, submissions for films will be submitted at www.rjcolorado.org . Short films and full length feature films on restorative justice will be reviewed and the best ones selected for viewing at the 2016 Restorative Justice Colorado Conference in September.

An internship is currently available to the right person to support the development of this first ever Restorative Justice Film Festival. (see the posting on www.rjcolorado.org )
For more information email deb.witzel@judicial.state.co.us

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