Proposed Field Experience:
Explore restorative justice (RJ) practices in the state of Minnesota that work to reconnect young people to their home or school community.
Field Experience Purpose and Goals:
- Read more about restorative practices specifically targeted at young people. What are some best practices? What hasn’t been successful? How are RJ practices modified to different environments or purposes? What areas of the field are growing (schools, juvenile justice, etc)? Who is utilizing RJ with young people in Minnesota?
- Get trained as a conference facilitator and participate in RJ conferences both as a facilitator and community member.
- Attend training about restorative measures in Minnesota schools
- Interview young people about their experience with RJ processes and find out how that compares to other punitive consequences they have received (suspensions, court sentences, etc). Do they feel a greater connection to their community because of their experience with a circle/conference? Has the circle process had an impact on the decisions they have/will make moving forward?
Restorative justice has found its way into my life on both a personal and professional level. I was introduced to the RJ field last spring during a project for a YDL class. I was instantly drawn to the idea and felt that it was an approach that would be very beneficial to the young people that I work with. Shortly after that, I discovered a program in my own neighborhood, the Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership (SLRJP) that was seeking community members to participate in RJ conferences for first time juvenile offenders. I signed up to volunteer right away. In addition to my experience with this program, I have become increasingly interested in how RJ practices can/are being used in schools as an alternative to suspension. In my professional experience as an educational support advocate, I’ve seen too many young people receive suspensions and I’ve been dismayed to see very few practices in place to reconnect those students to their school after the offense. A sense of connection with one’s school is a major indicator of whether a student drops out or not and I believe schools are doing a disservice to young people by sending the message (through suspension) that “we don’t want you here”. I would also like to learn more about RJ practices so that I can be a better advocate for the young people I currently work with. In addition, I’m hoping to enhance my leadership abilities in this area so that in the future I can work with schools to implement RJ circles as a means of reducing suspension rates and increasing graduation rates.
Action Plan:
· April 2010
o Complete proposal and send to YDL faculty and supervisor for approval (5 hrs)
o Meet with Michele Braley to discuss project on monthly basis (4 hrs)
o Set-up blog and begin reflections on readings, trainings and other experiences (30 hrs total)
o Begin researching RJ practices for young people, including all readings and online research (30 hrs)
o Attend SLRJP Advisory Committee meeting (1.5 hrs)
o Attend Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) public forum on juvenile justice reform (4 hrs)
o Participate in youth conference as the community voice (2 hrs)
· May 2010
o Attend Executive Meeting May 5 (1.5 hrs)
o Attend SLRJP Advisory Committee meeting (1.5 hrs)
o Attend SLRJP Youth Circle if determined appropriate, otherwise attend adult circle at Epworth Church (2 hrs)
o Participate in RJ facilitator training (22 hrs)
· June 2010
o Participate in youth conference as a facilitator (5 hrs)
o Attend SLRJP Advisory Committee meeting (1.5 hrs)
o Attend SLRJP Youth Circle if determined appropriate, otherwise attend adult circle at Epworth Church (2 hrs)
o Attend Restorative Measures Seminar sponsored by the MN Dept. of Education (40 hrs—week long training)
· July 2010
o Research strategies to engage corporate businesses in the RJ process for SLRJP referrals as the ‘victim’ (15 hrs)
o Identify and interview 2-4 young people about the RJ process if appropriate, otherwise work with SLRJP program to modify “scripts” that are used for youth conferences (8 hrs)
· August 2010
o Write a brief report summarizing the state of RJ practices in MN and discuss next steps (5 hrs)
Proposed Readings:
Articles:
Numerous articles by Nancy Riestenberg including:
· Applying the Framework: Positive Youth Development and Restorative Practices
· Beyond Zero Tolerance: Restoring Justice in Secondary Schools
· PEASE Academy: The Restorative Recovery School
Reclaiming Youth: What Restorative Practices Add to the Thinking—Beth Rodman
Restorative Justice as Strength-Based Accountability—Robert Ball
From Restorative Justice to Restorative Practices: Expanding the Paradigm
Websites:
· MN Department of Corrections: http://www.corr.state.mn.us/rj/Schools-youth.htm
· MN Restorative Services Coalition (MRSC): http://www.mnmrsc.org/index.html
· Restorative Justice Community Action: http://www.rjca-inc.org
· UMN, Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/rjp/
· Living Justice Press: www.livingjusticepress.org
Books:
· Youth Justice: Critical Readings: Hughes, et. al.
· Restorative Juvenile Justice: Repairing the Harm of Youth Crime: Walgrave, et. al.
· Peacemaking Circles and Urban Youth: Bringing Justice Home: Carolyn Boyes-Watson
· Touching Spirit Bear: Ben Mikaelsen
· The Little Book of Restorative Justice and Peacemaking Series: Pranis, et. al.
Planned Working and Reporting Methods New to Me:
I have had a personal interest in RJ practices and have a sense, at least at a gut level, that this approach would be very successful in working with young people who have caused some kind of harm to their community. This project will give me the opportunity to examine some of the research behind RJ and its effectiveness with youth. I will plan on writing a blog that will be able to capture my thoughts about the readings and the experiences I have during this learning journey. I will also plan to write a short report about the current state of RJ in Minnesota communities and schools, where there are successes, where there are gaps, and recommendations for enhancing the work already being done.
Contributions to the Community’s Moral Compact with Youth:
Young people, more than any other group, seem to be pushed out of the communities they belong to. They are subject to suspensions at school, curfew laws in their city and even parents who might kick them out of the house. All of these things send the message to a young person that “we don’t want you here”. RJ sends the message to youth that even if you make a mistake, you are still an important member of this community and we want to take time to repair the harm that has been done. It pulls them closer rather than pushing them away. A sense of belonging is a critical element of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. A student’s sense of connection to school has a drastic impact on whether they graduate, and dropout rates are far too high. I’m sure the same can be said about the choices they make outside of the school day.
Assessment of Field Experience:
Michele and I will meet on a monthly basis to check in about the work that I am doing. I will also provide Michele with a link to my blog so she can monitor my progress toward completion of my hours. There are two potential projects that I will be working on specifically for SLRJP, including research into better strategies for engaging corporative ‘victims’ in the conference process and modifying the script that is used by facilitators in youth conferences. For each of those projects I will provide a written summary of my findings and changes.
Field Experience Supervisor and Rationale:
My field experience supervisor will be Michele Braley, MSW, LICSW, who is the Program Manager of the Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership. She coordinates youth conferences for first time offenders that are referred to by the Minneapolis Police Department. I will work with her to fulfill many of the activities I have planned and will receive guidance from her.
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