Overview. August 2012 Barron County Restorative Justice Programs. Brief History of Barron County s Implementation of Restorative Justice

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1 Barron County Restorative Justice Programs "We build safe, healthy communities embracing restorative practices and we heal the injury caused by conflict and crime." Overview Brief History of BCRJP Overview of services for students and schools (programs and workshops) Complimentary nature of PBIS and restorative practices Restorative Practices to address bullying Restorative Circle Groups in schools Restorative Conferencing in schools Restorative supports for the community 2 Brief History of Barron County s Implementation of Restorative Justice Introduced by Judge Edward R. Brunner in became a program under Goodwill Evolved over time to respond to the needs of the schools and community 3 1

2 Current Programs Truancy Prevention Program Restorative Conferencing Victim Impact Panels Restorative Teen Court Restorative Discipline Shoplifting Conference Traffic Violators Conference 4 Current Workshops Know Alcohol SHIFT Drug-use NOT (Not on Tobacco) Teen-Parent Workshop Anger Management Workshop Cognitive Group Intervention 5 Complimentary Nature of PBIS and Restorative Practices Both affect school wide culture Adults are key players in improving student behavior by reframing discipline measures Both focus on a strength based approach to discipline Both focus on a community-wide approach to behavior intervention 6 2

3 Bullying Interventions Restorative Circle Groups Restorative Conferencing 7 Restorative Circle Groups Purpose of Talking Circle: To create a safe, non-judgmental place to discuss an issue or react to a speaker or film that allows the opportunity for each person to speak, without interruptions. Intent: To engage in a sharing of authentic personal feelings that are owned by each individual and acknowledged by others, without judgment or condemnation. 8 Restorative Circle Groups Continued Examples of Student Created Ground Rules: Listen with respect. Each person gets a chance to talk using the talking piece (you can always pass). One person talks at a time. Don t cut people off. Speak for yourself and not as the representative of any group. It s ok to disagree. No name-calling or attacking. 9 3

4 Restorative Circle Groups Applied in the School Setting School staff (administrators, counselors, school psychologists) refer bullying issues to BCRJP Outreach Workers. Outreach workers implement a bullying workshop Gather students (in most cases by grade level) Show or demonstrate typical bullying scenarios Break out into circle groups consisting of 8-12 students per group and an adult facilitator (i.e. outreach worker, teacher, school counselor, etc.) 10 Restorative Circle Groups Applied in the School Setting Continued Circle groups are encouraged to discuss: Personal experiences with bullying as the victim, bystander, or bully The role of the bystander in bullying Student opinions on: How students can improve school climate How adults can improve school climate 11 Plans for the future Pre and post measures of student perception of bullying, including the following questions: Do you feel safe at school? Is there at least one adult in school that you feel safe confiding in? Have you participated in bullying in the last 3 weeks? Have you been a bystander of bullying in the last 3 weeks? Have you been bullied in the last 3 weeks? Have you intervened in a bullying situation in the last 3 weeks? 12 4

5 Restorative Conferencing (also known as Victim Offender Conferencing) Victims have the opportunity to communicate with offenders in a safe and constructive manner to share personal, financial, emotional, and sometimes legal ramifications of a crime or misconduct. Victims also have a voice in forming reparation plans that allow offenders the chance to make amends for the harm done. 13 Restorative Conferencing Continued After hearing from victims about the effects of their crimes, offenders are given the chance to: Apologize, with the support of a facilitator Take positive responsibility to mend things and avoid repeating negative behaviors 14 Restorative Conferencing in Schools In place of disorderly conduct violations, school administrators can refer escalated bullying situations (specific to a few students) to BCRJP staff. BCRJP staff implement a restorative conference in one of three ways: Proxy victim: facilitators bring in a community member who has been a victim in a similar situation but not in this specific case Shuttle: facilitators act as a go-between and bring information back and forth Sometimes this is used to lead up to face to face conferencing Face to face: only used occasionally, when safe to do so 15 5

6 Restorative Conferencing in Schools, continued Parent involvement: If the student is under 15, parents are always contacted and given the option to participate If the student is between 15-17, staff follows the school s recommendations for parent involvement If the student is 17 or older, staff gives them the option of involving a parent 16 Restorative Conferencing in Schools, continued Restorative conferencing focuses on the negative impact of the bullying and what the offender needs to do to repair the damage. Facilitators are encouraged to keep the conference incident based and to have the offender take responsibility for their behaviors for this particular incident 17 Restorative Supports to address Bullying in the Community Setting BCRJP strives to address bullying by creating a safe environment for dialogue which may include: Bringing in speakers Providing information Giving community members the opportunity to come together to discuss community, student, and school climate 18 6

7 Resources The Little Book of Restorative Justice, by Howard Zehr The School Leaders Guide to Restorative Discipline, by Luanna H. Meyer and Ian M. Evans The Little Book of Circle Processes, by Kay Pranis 19 Presented by, Rose VanVreede Program Manager Restorative Truancy Prevention Program