GCC Program Areas

Criminal Legal System

Gcc in schools grades k-12

Rooted in a whole school or whole campus approach to RP implementation, GCC can help your institution build a vision and a pathway for a Restorative School Culture.

Through our trainings, technical assistance, coaching, facilitation, and restorative practices implementation support, we accompany school districts, individual schools, and school personnel on the exploration and implementation of restorative practices.

Restorative practices cultivate intrinsic motivation by building self‐awareness and empathy, giving voice to the human stories and needs behind the broken rules, and empowering students to participate in the process of problem-solving.

Click here to read more about School-based
Restorative practices →
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Teaching restorative Justice

The traditional approach taken by hundreds of U.S. schools over the past 20 years tends to focus on punishing harmful behavior, usually through exclusionary practices such as suspensions (both in-school and out-of-school) or expulsion.

Studies of the impact of such exclusionary methods has revealed startling disparities along lines of race, gender, and disability status – what is often called the “discipline gap.”

According to a 2014 report by the U.S. Department of Justice, African American or Hispanic students are already more likely to be disciplined than their white peers: black students are three times more likely to be suspended and expelled than white students, and over 50 percent of students referred by schools to law enforcement are African American or Hispanic.

Learn more about the potential harm of punitive practices and how you can take action to apply restorative practices instead →

A 2008 study by the American Psychological Association, found that students who were suspended exhibited higher rates of misbehavior and repeated suspension than students who were not, and that punitive discipline practices showed no significant impact on school safety.

The shift toward more restorative practices has produced dramatic results in many school environments, often reducing suspensions by 40 percent or more.

Looking to participate and learn some restorative practices of your own? Check out our calendar to see upcoming trainings →
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gcc in college and universities

Georgia Conflict Center supports colleges and universities as they explore inclusive and participatory ways of building a safe and welcoming community, as well as ways for working through conflict, harm and wrongdoing in a way that heals, repairs and ensures
support and accountability.

GCC promotes a “whole campus” approach to Restorative Practices Implementation.

  • Click here to contact us to explore how we could be supportive of your Restorative Practices implementation needs.

Want to learn more? Get in touch. 

Photo by Dom Fou on Unsplash

Georgia schools we have been honored to support

Clarke Central High School

Clarke Middle School

Global Village Project

Joy Village

Tapestry Public Charter School

Whit Davis Elementary School

upcoming events

There are no upcoming events at this time, please check back later.

Looking for more information about Georgia Conflict Center?

Browse our Frequently Asked Questions page.

The current state of our criminal legal system

The criminal legal system is based on the notion that people who cause harm need to be harmed in order to achieve “justice”.

Restorative justice exists as a radical alternative to this ideology. Restorative justice chooses healing instead of retribution, mutual accountability over individual punishment.

Fania Davis restorative justice quote

Gcc restorative justice diversion programming

Restorative justice engages in ancient ways of healing from harm, with the consent of everyone involved. GCC initiated its Restorative Justice Diversion Program in the Western Judicial Circuit in December, 2022.

Georgia Conflict Center's goal is to create a culture shift towards restorative justice and restorative practices within the criminal legal system. After more than a year working with system partners, including judges, DJJ officials, Public Defenders, the District Attorney, and other invested community members, GCC signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney in December, 2022 to begin receiving Restorative Justice Diversion (RJD) Case Referrals for high level misdemeanor and felony juvenile cases. The primary component of RJD is Restorative Justice Conferencing, which is described below.

Click here to access free educational resources for restorative justice in the criminal legal system →
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Photo by Jon Moore on Unsplash

Restorative Justice Conferencing (RJC), is a restorative practice that can be utilized by the criminal legal system.

RJC in the United States is based on the courageous Maori tribe from New Zealand in the 1980s. The “Western” model of punishment disproportionately punished and incarcerated Maori people.

The Maori people, frustrated by the loss of their people and culture, introduced their restorative circle practices into the New Zealand legal system. Now referred to as Family Conferencing, the idea is beginning to take root throughout the United States.

RJC involves facilitating a consensual agreement-making process between the harmed and one who has caused harm. Restorative conferencing would allow select juvenile cases to be diverted from the juvenile justice system, allowing healing and a mutually-agreed resolution before trial. This keeps youth in their communities, accountable, and healthy. 

Georgia Conflict Center will both train and pay our community members to conduct these conferences with juveniles, their families, and those harmed.

Learn more about RJC →

upcoming events

GCC is developing programming for the Criminal Legal System. Please check back soon for updates.
Questions? Please contact us for more information.

Community and workplace

Restorative Support for Organizational Conflict and Development

As we learn about conflict, we begin to understand that it is a natural part of life, and particularly life lived with and among others.  A wise mentor once said, “The only place you won’t find conflict is in a cemetery, and that’s because everyone is dead.”  Without intentional learning and practice, conflict can feel scary or painful.  As we deepen our skills and understanding about conflict, we can begin to embrace it as a source of growth and understanding, as well as an opportunity to build community and strengthen relationships.  

Georgia Conflict Center would like to help your organization welcome and embrace conflict as a source of growth, inspiration and even creativity.  As you and your colleagues develop the understanding, skills and processes for being with and for each other in the midst of conflict, you will experience short-term and long-term tangible benefits within the life of your organization.  Below are a few potential offerings that you might consider to begin your journey to becoming a Restorative Organization, or an organization that values community and relationships rooted in respect, collaboration, inclusion and making right when wrong has been done.

1) 3-hour Introductory Workshop on Conflict and Restorative Approaches for Transforming Conflict

This introductory workshop will help participants reframe conflict as an opportunity, as well as develop effective ways of dealing with conflict.  Workshop objectives include:

  • Participants will develop a shared understanding of conflict
  • Participants will learn about the primary styles for responding to conflict, as well as the strengths and challenges of each.
  • Participants will explore Nonviolent Communication (NVC) as a communication tool for strengthening our ability to compassionately hear our own needs and those of others.

Cost of this Introductory Workshop: approximately $1,000 for 25 or fewer participants (larger group workshops available upon request¹

Note: Depending on the needs of your organization, GCC will also offer followup sessions to assist your organization with the operationalization of restorative approaches to conflict and harm. This would be best negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

¹ GCC is committed to serving our community, regardless of the ability to pay. Please do not hesitate to reach out about pricing options or scholarship support should proposed costs be an obstacle.

2) Restorative Facilitation Support

At times it is helpful to have a 3rd party assist with facilitation and support in the midst of conflict or harm.  GCC is willing to provide expert facilitation and restorative support for you and your colleagues toward a pathway of repair and making things better for all.  

Restorative Pathways can look quite different based on the situation and the needs of the group.  GCC provides a customized approach, tailored to the needs of your group or organization.  We offer a 30-minute free consultation to discuss your particular situation and how GCC can provide restorative support.

Cost for Restorative Facilitation Support: approximately $200 per hour for direct services and $75 per hour for indirect services/preparation/follow-up.²

²These are cost approximations, however we will share a more detailed cost proposal following an initial consultation that will be suited to the needs of your group or organization.

3) Follow-up Skill-building Workshops

In order for your organization to be able to embrace conflict as a source of growth, inspiration and creativity, developing new skills and internal processes will be essential.  GCC will support you with skill-building for conflict transformation according to your specific needs and desires.  Some of the offerings may include:

  • Restorative Circles: Learn the roots, principles, values and procedures associated with Restorative Peacemaking Circles.  This training focuses on learning about and practicing restorative circles for building community, creating space for dialogue and democratic participation.
  • Nonviolent Communication: This is  a practice-based workshop that is  a natural follow-up to the 3-hour introductory workshop.  Participants have the opportunity to deepen their skills and practice the 4-step process of nonviolent communication in several different scenarios.
  • Responsive Restorative Approaches for Dealing with Conflict, Harm and Wrongdoing:  Participants have the opportunity to learn and practice  a range of formal and informal restorative interventions in order  to support others  working through conflict and harm.
  • Organizational Development: This is a hands-on workshop that will help participants understand and imagine how their organization’s culture and everyday climate can better align with restorative conflict resolution and communication. We will focus on work culture, worker engagement, role clarity, and communication processes, including but not limited to conflict. 

Meet Our Staff and Organizational Conflict Collaborators

Georgia Conflict Center supports community groups, organizations and workplaces toward developing the skills and understanding to engage conflict with empathy, compassion and inclusive, collaborative process.

Building community capacity for engaging conflict and harm with empathy, respect, support and accountability is a central strategy for the Georgia Conflict Center.

Through training and facilitation in conflict transformation, restorative practices and nonviolent communication, we are working to support community groups and organizations to build peace with justice.

Can we support you, your group or your organization? Contact us and let us know how we can help.

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