| What
is a Peacemaking Circle? |
•
Peacemaking
Circles are meetings held every week for 26-52 weeks with the
family, support people, community members and a trained facilitator.
•
The
Circle process establishes a safe, non-hierarchical place in
which all present have the opportunity to speak without interruptions.
•
A
talking piece (an object of special meaning or symbolism) is
used to regulate communication.
•
A
Safety Monitor is appointed before the first Circle. This person
is someone close to the parties who is able to perform frequent
check-ins on the couple and seek help if tensions begin to rise.
•
Circle
participants create a social compact, pledging an end to the
violence and creating goals for the future.
•
Circle
participants learn to process changes in their lives through
the Transition Framework (Click
here to read more about the Transition Framework).
•
Community
members and support people participate in the Circle every week,
helping the family on its path to change and healing.
•
Circles
are enhanced through mental health and drug and alcohol treatment
services, available to both offenders and victims (if needed)
prior to participating in Circles.
|
| Guiding
principles and values |
|
•
Holding
ourselves accountable for our actions, and trying our best to
repair the harm we have caused to others.
•
Decision-making
by consensus.
•
Managing
difficult transitions by attending to each stage in the process
(Applying the Transition Framework).
•
Safety,
integrity, and growth for all the participants.
|
| Frequently
asked questions about circles |
|
What
is a Support Person? Do I need one? |
| If
you are an applicant (offender) assigned to the program, or
a participant (victim) who decides to participate, make sure
you have a support person with you for each circle. Support
people can be family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors,
or anyone else you feel comfortable with. Support people are
in the Circle to support you, and to help keep you safe. The
more support people you bring, the better the
Circle will be.
|
| What
if I want to keep this matter private?
|
It
is natural to feel anxious or embarrassed about asking people
from your everyday life to participate in Circles. Circles
are not about shaming anybody – they are discussions
about how we can repair the harm we caused and live better
lives in the future. Support People can check-up on our progress
and safety, and help us as we try to live better lives.
|
| What
is the role of the community members in the Circle?
|
Community
members bring their unique life experiences to the Circle. Community
members are trained in the Circle method, and come with purpose
of holding the applicant accountable for the harm he/she has
caused to the wider community, as well as offering him/her support
on the journey towards change.
|
| How
should I prepare for Circle? |
1.
Make sure you have support people willing to come to the weekly
Circle.
2. Make sure you have babysitting for your
children secured, if you need it. Make sure that your babysitter
understands that this is a weekly commitment.
3. Begin to look at your life, and gently
examine the decisions you have made, and how you might like
your life to look different in the future. Unless you are told
otherwise, you do not need to bring anything (other than your
support person) with you to your first Circle.
|
| What
happens if I cannot make it to Circle one week? |
If
you are the applicant, it is very important that you make it
to Circle each and every week so that you can finish the full
treatment in the time required by Arizona law. If you have a
time conflict and absolutely cannot make the meeting, you MUST
call the office at least 24 hours in advance or your absence
is deemed “unexcused” and you must pay for the session.
Additionally, after three unexcused absences, you may be terminated
from the program, and your file will be sent back to court.
If you are any other Circle member and cannot make it to Circle
that week, please call the office with as much advance notice
as possible so that the Circle Keeper can be notified. Support
people and community members should make every effort to attend
every single Circle so that the treatment progress is not interrupted.
|
|
|
