Vidia Negrea, representative of Community Service Foundation of Hungary, the Hungarian affiliate of the IIRP, tells how she shepherded a multi-part intervention, involving both restorative circles and family group conferencing/family group decision making (FGC/FGDM), which helped a prison inmate — imprisoned for 12 years for murder — become a productive member of society.

Community Service Foundation (CSF), which operates model programs of the International Institute for Restorative Practices, developed the Restorative Reporting Centers (RRC) in partnership with the Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA, Department of Juvenile Probation. Instead of sending youth away to residential placement, this community-based program allows them to remain home with their families and in their home schools and immerses them in an intensive environment of restorative practices during evenings and weekends. The model aims to reduce recidivism by holding youth accountable for their behavior and enabling them to make positive changes in their lives, while also addressing the need for community safety. Family engagement is an essential program component. This article includes information on how the program operates and interviews with youth, family members and program developers.

A report on the IIRP’s first participatory symposium, which brought together 42 professionals to share and strategize about how to implement and sustain restorative practices in a wide range of settings. Accompanied by a video of the event.

Throughout Latin America there are growing efforts to confront the social consequences of poverty and violence. Restorative practices provides an outlook that is appealing to many who are working to bring people together to resolve problems and transform the nature of society.  This two-part article discusses how individuals in Latin America are implementing restorative practices in their organizations, schools and communities. Part one discusses Nicaragua, Panama and Colombia. Part two talks about Mexico and Peru and references work in Brazil.

Throughout Latin America there are growing efforts to confront the social consequences of poverty and violence. Restorative practices provides an outlook that is appealing to many who are working to bring people together to resolve problems and transform the nature of society.  This two-part article discusses how individuals in Latin America are implementing restorative practices in their organizations, schools and communities. Part one discusses Nicaragua, Panama and Colombia. Part two talks about Mexico and Peru and references work in Brazil.

The IIRP invites you to submit a proposal for a 50-minute breakout session for their upcoming conference to be held August 1-3, 2012, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. The proposal deadline is February 29, 2012.