Dominic Barter and NVC based Restorative Circles
Dominic Barter has studied the interface between societal and personal
change, and the role of conflict, since the 1980s. Since 2004 he has
worked as consultant and training program director for the Brazilian
Restorative Justice pilot projects, in collaboration with the UN
Development Program, UNESCO, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of
Education and Special Secretariat for Human Rights. He has focused on
developing effective models and training programs for practitioners to
address youth crime and its consequences, as well as working with
judges, school administrators, police, social services as well as youth
and community leaders in supervising implementation. Dominic coordinates
the Restorative Justice Project for the international Center for
Nonviolent Communication.
Dominic is traveling to Minneapolis from Toronto where he is giving a
keynote at the 11th World Conference of the International Institute for
Restorative Practices.
Restorative Circles – a NVC RJ model implemented in Brazil
Building a Compassionate Justice System
Justly known for its unique cultural celebrations of life, Brazil also
represents one of the most racially diverse and economically unequal
countries on earth. Youth are particularly affected, with urban death
rates for those under 25 surpassing those of many war zones. In this
context the UN calculates that between just 2.8% of the world’s
population over 13% of all the world’s murders are committed. With the
education, justice and social welfare systems suffering overwhelming
pressure the Brazilian authorities invited Dominic Barter to develop a
response to this break down in community based on Restorative Justice
principles and Nonviolent Communication. Early data show that the number
of cases 'judicialized' - reaching the judge - diminish significantly
where the NVC Restorative Circles are present in the schools and local
community. In over 90% of cases agreements are reached and kept,
transforming the experience of all those involved in violent conflict
and promoting an unprecedented cultural shift wherever Circles have been
adapted as a way to handle conflict. National awards have been presented
to recognize what has been accomplished in an astonishing short period
of time. This is a rare opportunity to witness and to participate in a
visceral experience of 21st Century Justice. Come for a brief exposure
Friday or commit to a deeper experience of 2 or 4 days and learn how you
can transformed your personal circle of influence with a new approach to
heal and transform conflict into a pact of mutual cooperation.
NVC Restorative Circles offer ways for individuals and communities to
establish connection, discover meaning and recover power on profound
levels. They create a forum for reaching agreements that help sustain
effective and nurturing relationships both personally and within
society.
The Circles have developed within the Restorative Justice movement,
which in recent decades has rediscovered and adapted ways for
communities to promote responsibility and healing. Rethinking justice,
and engaging with the challenge of consciously building whole system
responses to community well-being, has opened up revolutionary
possibilities for furthering a culture of peace.
