Programs: Restorative Justice

Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership

"Promoting reconciliation and healing within our youth and our community"

A joint project with Seward Neighborhood Group and Longfellow Community Council

Located at:  Seward Neighborhood Group
      2323 East Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55406
      612-338-6205 x108

Please contact Michele at 612-338-6205 ex. 108 or Michele@sng.org for a current schedule of meetings.

Crime damages people, communities, and relationships. If crime is about harm, then justice should emphasize repairing the harm.

Our Mission is to build community by providing the opportunity to repair harm by involving the victim, offender, and community in solutions that promote healing, accountability, and reconciliation.

Our Process gives everyone a voice and creates opportunities to make things as right as possible. It is used as an alternative form of discipline, diversion from court, or support for a youth returning from the corrections system. Offenders are held accountable and given the opportunity to make amends.

Conferences are structured face-to-face meetings between youth offenders, victims, their support people, and community members. These offer the community a better way to address crime and disciplinary problems. Conferences are typically one-time events.

Circles are a storytelling process. Every person has his or her story and every story has a lesson to offer us. People heal and touch one another's lives through their stories. Circles often include continued sessions.

What we do…our target clients are youths who are 18 and under in the Seward, Longfellow Cooper, Howe and Hiawatha neighborhoods and the 55406 zip code area. Our program is completely voluntary.

Repairing the Harm
As an alternative to court, we conduct Restorative Group Conferencing through an agreement with Operation DeNovo. We accept all referrals of first time juvenile offenders.

In addition, we conduct Peacemaking Circles with referrals from community block clubs, parks, businesses, and schools. These help resolve conflict, prevent and reduce violence, and are used to intervene in harmful events.

Making Things Right
Trained facilitators guide conferences and circles. As part of our process, an agreement or plan is reached through consensus among the participants. Agreements and plans specify tangible actions to be performed within an acceptable timeframe.

When we work with youth we can make a big difference in their lives. We believe in the possibilities of their positive contributions to our community. Through this process our community has a voice and can make things right.

We invite you to join us…
We invite community members, community organizations, businesses, schools, churches, faith communities, and any interested persons in the Seward Longfellow area to join us in promoting reconciliation and healing within our youth and our community. We offer training to all volunteers interested in being a trained facilitator or as a participant representing the community’s voice.

Ways to participate:
• Make use of our process through referrals.
• Join our coordinating committee.
• Participate in a restorative justice process.

If you are interested in having a restorative justice process available, volunteering, or have any questions please contact:

Michele Braley, Program Manager
Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership
612-338-6205 x108
michele@sng.org

Meeting Minutes

January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006 (no meeting)
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006 (no meeting)
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007

Internet resources:
MN Department of Corrections Restorative Justice Unit
MN Restorative Services Coalition