Community
Conflict Resolution
Conflict is inevitable, but violence is not. Many of the challenges facing communities—street violence, family disputes, inter-personal disagreements, or neighborhood tensions—can be reduced when we have accessible, trusted systems of resolution. Conflict resolution is about giving people the tools to communicate, de-escalate, and find common ground before disagreements spiral into harm.
Resolution is Built On:
Dialogue
Creating safe spaces for people to voice grievances.
Mediation
Using neutral, trusted mediators to help parties reach fair solutions.
Restorative Justice:
Using neutral, trusted mediators to help parties reach fair solutions.
Accountability Circles
Allowing community members to set standards and expectations for behavior.
Community Meditation Centers
Local mediation centers (found in many cities) provide free or low-cost mediators to help resolve disputes—whether between neighbors, families, or even schools. They reduce reliance on courts or police, which often escalate rather than solve problems.
Cure Violence Global
An international initiative that treats violence like a public health issue. They hire “violence interrupters”—respected people from the community—to step in and mediate conflicts before they turn violent.
Peace Circles & Restorative Justice Programs
Often hosted by schools, nonprofits, or churches, these circles focus on listening, accountability, and healing instead of punishment. Chicago, Oakland, and New York have led the way, but similar models can be replicated anywhere.
Organizations (Examples)
Often hosted by schools, nonprofits, or churches, these circles focus on listening, accountability, and healing instead of punishment. Chicago, Oakland, and New York have led the way, but similar models can be replicated anywhere.
Section
Often hosted by schools, nonprofits, or churches, these circles focus on listening, accountability, and healing instead of punishment. Chicago, Oakland, and New York have led the way, but similar models can be replicated anywhere.