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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

Program News

How-To Conference, August 21st Learn about bicycle maintenance, composting, tango dancing, understanding your credit and more and benefit SLRJP! Thrivent Financial is partnering with several youth-focused nonprofits for this creative fundraiser. Participants spend a half-day or full-day at “how-to” workshops and registration fees will be given to a non-profit of their choice. Find out more and register here.

SLRJP is now on Facebook! Sign up to be a fan and tell your friends! You can view our page even if you are not on facebook.

Benefit Concert Raises Over $2,800

Fundraiser
See More Photos.

Restorative Justice Program in the News

A recent article in MNdaily.com says "The Seward and Longfellow neighborhoods are working to give local youth offenders a second chance in their communities." Read the full story.

SLRJP Participates in Peace Forum

In March 2010, Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership was invited by Christ Church Lutheran to speak at a forum with the former President of Finland and 2008 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Marti Ahtisaari. The forum was titled, Peace Begins Locally: A Minneapolis Dialogue. Michele Braley, Program Manager and Rebecca Miller and Donna Norbeck, Executive Committee members, met President Ahtisaari after the forum.

The Advisory Committee meets on the 2nd Monday of the month (except July) from 6:30p-8:00p at Longfellow Park (3435-36th Avenue S.).  The Advisory Committee is open to anyone with a stake in the Seward or Greater Longfellow neighborhoods.  Please join us to help develop restorative justice services for our neighborhood.

Seeking 40 people to give $40 in recognition of our first 40 conferences:
Help us celebrate our success and secure our future by donating $40 in recognition of our first 40 referrals. These conferences have helped to restore community and repair the harm caused by shoplifting, damage to property, graffiti, theft and disorderly conduct.  You can support our work by sending your check for $40 to SNG or donate online at sng.org.  Please indicate that the donation is for SLRJP.  Thank you!

About the Program:

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 and the Minneapolis Police Department. We accept 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

Many thanks to our funders for 2010
--Hennepin County – Office of the County Attorney
--Basilian Order of the Catholic Church
--City of Minneapolis - Office of the City Attorney
--Hennepin County Bar Foundation
--Longfellow Community Council
--Seward Neighborhood Group
--Faith Mennonite Church
--Christ Church Lutheran
--Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie #34
--Seward Church
--Individual donors

--Ghandi Mahal Restaurant – In kind
--Peace Coffee – In kind
--Pizza Luce – In kind
--Seward Coop – In kind
--Welna Hardware – In kind

 

 

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

 

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