“We have a reactive and pro-active role,” says Sue Klassen, who
leads the PIRI group. The pro-active model involves setting up “peace
circles” (being tested primarily in Rochester’s Monroe High School and
School 29) in which students gather periodically to discover values
they hold in common and work through grievances before they become more
serious. Prevention, Klassen says, is PIRI’s first objective.
“On
the reactive side, when a crime occurs, we invite people to come into
the process,” she says. The crime could be a minor act of vandalism, or
it could be as serious as homicide. Victims, witnesses, offenders —
anyone affected by the crime — are invited to participate. Volunteers
meet separately with the players before a conference is held….
….The more safe places we can create, the more places we can offer for
people to really hear each other, the stronger the community will be.
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
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