GCC blog

Georgia Conflict Center's online blog, where we share reflections, interviews, and articles related to restorative justice and restorative practices.

recent posts

How to Build a Culture of Trust That Works

As a second post in a two-part series, Jodi Barnes goes into more details about how reframing two important Cs, communication and conflict, lay the foundation for a healthier, more productive work culture.

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Finding Our Best Work Selves Through Conflict: Part One

Here, Jodi Barnes talks about the importance of addressing conflict at work, and why employees should be empowered to help build a more resilient and productive work culture.

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Dream Big, Start Small

GCC Executive Director Danny Malec responds to the RP Implementation Pause in Gwinnett County.

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GCC Finalizes Partnership With DA Deborah Gonzalez' Office

GCC recently finalized our partnership with DA Deborah Gonzalez' office to begin taking cases in our Restorative Justice Diversion Program

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“When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending.”― Thich Nhat Hanh

Each time we choose to draw near, rather than to send away, we are actively building a new way to be in community together. As we model this way of being in schools, we are shining a light and showing a way for what can be possible in the community as a whole.

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Liberatory Consciousness

We cannot do restorative justice work well if we are not also fighting for racial equity in the spaces that we work. Looking through the lens of equity, we find the concept of liberation. This brings up the question, how do we grow our liberatory consciousness?

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The Stories We Create

When we’re working as a team, we can start in one direction, but we may end up in a completely different direction by the end of the year.

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Restorative Practices for the Seven Generations to Come

“History is asking us to become healers. We are so good at causing harm, at every level. We are experts at that. So I want to thank you for answering history’s call so that we will have a future for the seven generations to come.” - Dr. Fania Davis

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RJ and Gender-based Violence

Restorative Approaches for Gender-based Violence

This blog explores restorative approaches to gender-based violence and the relationship between the restorative justice and transformative justice movements.

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Danny's Journey with Restorative Justice

Danny Malec's Recent Interview on "This Restorative Justice Life" with David Ryan Castro-Harris

This Restorative Justice Life is a podcast series that highlights conversations and storytelling with Restorative Justice Practitioners, Circle Keepers, and others about how they bring Restorative Justice philosophy, practices, and values into their personal and professional lives. Hosted by Amplify RJ founder David Ryan Barcega Castro-Harris. Produced by Elyse Martin-Smith.

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School-based Restorative Practices

"I am happy to be with you today."

Feedback from our trainings helps us strengthen them and gives us valuable insights into the needs of the communities we serve.

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recommended reading

shared articles

Black CPS teens benefit most from shift from suspensions toward restorative practices

A new study finds moving to restorative practices to respond to student misconduct has led to a significant reduction in suspensions and arrests.

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"Over Ruled" Contemplates the Upward Spiral of Restorative Justice

Taken at face value, the 12′ structure installed on playa will spell out a cheeky provocation, “NO DANCING,” clearly legible from afar. But as the viewer approaches, each of the large block letters will reveal a story, a testimonial from a real person about a personal experience with unjust rules. Smith sees the piece as a call to awareness of social injustice and the power of restorative justice.

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Bridger Middle School Improves Student Behaviors With Restorative Practices

Over the last school year, Bridger Middle School leaders decided to take a different approach to deal with the fighting and students acting out.

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Evaluation of Racist Slur Incident at Decatur High is Complete; District Promises Changes

On Tuesday, City Schools of Decatur released the findings of an independent evaluator who looked into how the district responded to a teacher using a racial slur in class.

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Students Belong in Class, So This School Redesigned Discipline to Honor That

Angela Monell and Southwest Guilford High School are committed to restorative practices as a way to keep kids in class and out of trouble.

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'Unsung Hero': The Baker and Activist Whose Death Inspired Calls for Restorative Justice

After Jen Angel’s shocking death, loved ones honor her legacy of punk zines, gourmet dinner nights and social justice projects.

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Solidarity as Social and Emotional Safety

This model of social and emotional learning emphasizes mutual aid, restorative justice and safety by design.

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What SEL Teaches Us About Safety

With SEL, we can foster emotional safety and mental wellness, and help reduce violence and risky behaviors among students.

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Regulating Restorative Justice: What Arbitration Teaches Us About Regulating The Restorative Process In Criminal Courts

This Note from Hope Harriman shares her introduction to Restorative Justice as a volunteer in Rwanda, her journey with the Restorative Justice Community Court in Chicago, and her opinions about possible regulations on restorative justice to ensure its success.

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Starting Small Might Aid Gwinett's School Discipline Shift

In this guest column, Smagorinsky dives into the discipline debate roiling Gwinnett County Public Schools.

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GHC to offer courses for RED Restorative Justice Program

Georgia Highlands College has partnered with Rehabilitation Enables Dreams to offer college access to students in the RED Restorative Justice Program.

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Pine Bluff School Introduces 'Restorative Room' to Help Calm Students, De-Escalate Fights

A school in Pine Bluff introduced the 'restorative room' as a way to help encourage kids to process their emotions and get through tough experiences.

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Weaver School Embraces ‘Peacemaker Event’ on Campus

In collaboration with the Restorative Justice League of Merced, the “Weaver Peacemaker Event” is an all day event that focuses on educating students to “promote kindness and build a culture of peace on campus.”

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An Eighth Grade Class Just Exonerated The Last Witch Of The Salem Witch Trials

Massachusetts teacher Carrie LaPierre led her students through a restorative justice project over 300 years after the infamous Salem Witch Trials.

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Remembering How to Be Friends: After COVID, One School Uses Talking Circles to Help Kids Reconnect

That predictable, structured place to safely share is critical, especially for students who want to take on society’s bigger challenges, Swearingen said. “It puts us in a spot where we can be vulnerable with each other, and because we can be vulnerable together we can be productive.”

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NJEA Officers, Community Tour Restorative Justice Montclair

“As a teacher in Wayne and a resident and mayor here in Montclair, I could not be prouder of the leadership that the Montclair Education Association, the Montclair Board of Education, and our students, teachers, educational support professionals, and administrators have taken in showing what restorative justice looks like in action,” [President] Spiller said.

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New Study: Black, Special Ed Students Punished at Greater Rate Through Pandemic

Despite a dramatic decline in suspensions as students moved to remote learning during the pandemic, Black children and those in special education were disciplined far more often than white students and those in general education, according to a recent New York University study.

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LTE: Restorative Justice in Schools

"We need programs and interventions that teach and model skills that will change behavior. Restorative practices are what can transform and guide the prosocial behaviors we want for our children and our communities."

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NYC's Push for Restorative Justice Was Put to the Test This School Year

Schools like Harvest Collegiate High School have embraced restorative justice and devoted resources to those programs.

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At This Oakland High School, Restorative Justice Goes Far Beyond Discipline

Fremont High students are even helping young students engage in restorative justice practices.

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Valley State First HBCU to Offer Prison College Program in Mississippi

Incarcerated people at two prisons in the Delta will be able to start earning four-year degrees from Mississippi Valley State University this fall for the first time in more than two decades.

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Restorative Arlington Partners with Arlington Public Schools to Support Students and Strengthen Restorative Justice in Education

Restorative Arlington has partnered with Arlington Public Schools (APS) to support Restorative Justice in Education. Restorative Arlington has allocated over $140,000 to provide direct services to APS, including services for students who have experienced harm as well as restorative justice training for staff and additional resources.

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Praise for One-of-a-Kind Philly Diversion Program Rooted in 2020 Civil Unrest

Criminal justice reform advocates are applauding a diversion program created to resolve the hundreds of felony cases that came out of the civil unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020.

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Suffolk District Attorney to Pilot Restorative Justice Program

Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden is piloting a restorative justice program in Chelsea District Court and the Charlestown and Roxbury divisions of Municipal Court.

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Cash From Criminal Wrong-Doing Will Now Help Coquitlam Kids

Two unique programs that support Tri-City students are getting nearly $60,000 combined, thanks to proceeds of criminal activity.

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Restorative Justice Resolves Alleged Assault at Indiana Lake

Restorative justice was successfully used for one of the first times in Indiana to remediate a legal confrontation.

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Letting Go of Myths, Embracing Truths

Shawn Ginwright writes in Yes! Magazine about Four Pivots to Reimagining Justice and Reimagining Ourselves.

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COVID is making it harder for schools to practice restorative practices

This article, originally published in Fortune.com, explores a range of added challenges related to restorative practices implementation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Where Is the Forgiveness and Grace in Cancel Culture?

A link to an editorial written on 12/28/21 in the New York Times from Michael Eric Dyson, reflecting on Bishop Tutu's approach to apartheid and the limited value of punishment or banishment.

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