Circulos de Paz and the promise of peace: Restorative justice meets intimate violence

from the article by Linda G. Mills, Mary Helen Maley and Yael Shy in New York University Review of Law and Social Change:

Circles of Peace/Circulos de Paz was founded in Nogales, Arizona in 2004 to address these myriad problems with both the criminal justice response to intimate violence and Batterer Intervention Programs. Circles of Peace is the first court-referred domestic violence treatment program to use a restorative justice circle approach to reduce violent behavior in families in the United States. 

The program consists of twenty-six to fifty-two weeks of conferences, or "Circles," bringing partners who have been abusive (the "applicants") together with willing family members (including those who have been abused, the "participants"), support people, a trained professional facilitator, and community volunteers. The goal is to encourage dialogue about the incident, the history of violence in this family, and meaningful change. 

Sep 16, 2011 Practice, Region: North America and Caribbean, Policy, Circle, Case:Domestic Violence, Country:USA

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More tolerance in new Chicago Public Schools code of conduct

from Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah's article in the Chicago Tribune:

Chicago Public Schools has adopted a new student discipline policy that one parent group says moves the district a step away from zero tolerance.

Staff members are being told to treat minor infractions as learning opportunities to reinforce positive behavior. Out-of school suspensions are to be used as a last resort.

CPS officials said for the most serious infractions, restorative justice--programs such as peace circle and a jury of student peers determining punishment--can be offered in addition to suspensions and expulsions.

Sep 01, 2011 Policy, School, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA

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