The Little Book of Circle Processes: A New and Old Approach to Peacemaking

By Kay Pranis
Published by Good Books
June 2005;$4.95US; 1-56148-461-X

Restorative Justice -- Group Processes

Our ancestors gathered around a fire in a circle, families gather around their kitchen tables in circles, and now we are gathering in circles as communities to solve problems. This peacemaking practice draws on the ancient Native American tradition of a talking piece and combines that with concepts of democracy and inclusivity.

Peacemaking Circles are used in neighborhoods to provide support for those harmed by crime and to decide sentences for those who commit crime, in schools to create positive classroom climates and resolve behavior problems, in the workplace to deal with conflict, and in social services to develop more organic support systems for people struggling to make sense of their lives.

The Circle process hinges on storytelling.

It is an effort bringing astonishing results around the country.

Excerpt
The following is an excerpt from the book The Little Book of Circle Processes

Circles in Practice

'Tm impressed with the gentleness of the Circle. It arrives at something in such a gentle way." 
-- Circle participant in an alternative school

How does a Peacemaking Circle work?
Peacemaking Circles use structure to create possibilities for freedom: freedom to speak our truth, freedom to drop masks and protections, freedom to be present as a whole human being, freedom to reveal our deepest longings, freedom to acknowledge mistakes and fears, freedom to act in accord with our core values.

Participants sit in a circle of chairs with no tables. Sometimes objects that have meaning to the group are placed in the center as a focal point to remind participants of shared values and common ground. The physical format of the Circle symbolizes shared leadership, equality, connection, and inclusion. It also promotes focus, accountability, and participation from all.

Using very intentional structural elements -- ceremony, a talking piece, a facilitator or keeper, guidelines, and consensus decision-making -- Circles aim to create a space in which participants are safe to be their most authentic self. (These elements, explained briefly here, are addressed more fully in Chapter 6.)

Ceremony -- Circles consciously engage all aspects of human experience -- spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental. Circles use a ceremony or intentional centering activity in the opening and in the closing to mark the Circle as a sacred space in which participants are present with themselves and one another in a way that is different from an ordinary meeting.

A Talking Piece -- By allowing only the person holding the talking piece to speak, a Circle regulates the dialogue as the piece circulates consecutively from person to person around the group. The person holding the talking piece has the undivided attention of everyone else in the Circle and can speak without interruption. The use of the talking piece allows for full expression of emotions, deeper listening, thoughtful reflection, and an unhurried pace. Additionally, the talking piece creates space for people who find it difficult to speak in a group, but it never requires the holder to speak.

A Facilitator or Keeper -- The facilitator of the Peacemaking Circle, often called a keeper, assists the group in creating and maintaining a collective space in which each participant feels safe to speak honestly and openly without disrespecting anyone else. The keeper monitors the quality of the collective space and stimulates the reflections of the group through questions or topic suggestions. The keeper does not control the issues raised by the group or try to move the group toward a particular outcome, but the keeper may take steps to address the tone of the group interaction.

Guidelines -- Participants in a Circle play a major role in designing their own space by creating the guidelines for their discussion. The guidelines articulate the promises participants make to one another about how they will conduct themselves in the Circle dialogue. The guidelines are intended to describe the behaviors that the participants feel will make the space safe for them to speak their truth. Guidelines are not rules and they are not used to judge people's behavior. They are used as gentle reminders to participants about their shared commitment to creating a safe space for difficult conversation.

Consensus Decision-Making -- Decisions in a Circle are made by consensus. Consensus does not require enthusiasm for the decision or plan, but it does require that each participant is willing to live with the decision and support its implementation.

In a Circle, relationship-building and getting to know one another beyond the context of the task precede discussion about the task itself. Half the time of a Circle may be spent on creating the foundation for deeply honest dialogue about the conflict or difficulty before that dialogue begins. Discussing values, creating guidelines, and sharing unseen aspects of ourselves are all part of creating the foundation for dialogue that engages participants' spirits and emotions as well as their intellect.

Wisdom in a Circle is accessed through personal stories. In a Circle, life experience is more valuable than advice. Participants share their experiences of joy and pain, struggle and triumph, vulnerability and strength to understand the issue at hand. Because storytelling engages people on many levels -- emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental -- listeners absorb stories differently than they do advice.

Types of Peacemaking Circles
As Circles found various uses, a terminology emerged to distinguish the different types of Circles by their function. This language is still developing and the terms are not universally used, but they are still helpful.

Types of Circles include:  

• Talking   
  
• Understanding   
  
• Healing   
  
• Sentencing   
  
• Support   
  
• Community-Building   
  
• Conflict   
  
• Reintegration   
  
• Celebration

Talking Circles -- In a Talking Circle, participants explore a particular issue or topic from many different perspectives. Talking Circles do not attempt to reach consensus on the topic. Rather, they allow all voices to be respectfully heard and offer participants diverse perspectives to stimulate their reflections.

Circles of Understanding -- A Circle of Understanding is a Talking Circle focused on understanding some aspect of a conflict or difficult situation. A Circle of Understanding is generally not a decision-making Circle; therefore, it does not need to reach consensus. Its purpose is to develop a more complete picture of the context or reason for a particular event or behavior.

Healing Circles -- The purpose of a Healing Circle is to share the pain of a person or persons who have experienced trauma or loss. A plan for support beyond the Circle may emerge, but it is not required.

Sentencing Circles -- A Sentencing Circle is a community-directed process in partnership with the criminal justice system. It involves all those affected by an offense in deciding an appropriate sentencing plan which addresses the concerns of all participants.

This Circle brings together the person who has been harmed, the person who caused the harm, family and friends of each, other community members, justice system representatives (judge, prosecutor, defense counsel, police, probation officer), and other resource professionals. The participants discuss: 1) what happened, 2) why it happened, 3) what the impact is, and 4) what is needed to repair the harm and prevent it from happening again.

By consensus, the Circle develops the sentence for the person who committed the crime and may also stipulate responsibilities of community members and justice officials as part of the agreement. Preparation for a Sentencing Circle may involve a Healing Circle for the person harmed and a Circle of Understanding for the one who committed the harm before bringing the two parties together.

Support Circles -- A Support Circle brings together key people to support a person through a particular difficulty or major change in life. Support Circles often meet regularly over a period of time. By consensus, Support Circles may develop agreements or plans, but they are not necessarily decision-making Circles.

Community-Building Circles -- The purpose of a Community-Building Circle is to create bonds and build relationships among a group of people who have a shared interest. Community-Building Circles support effective collective action and mutual responsibility.

Conflict Circles -- A Conflict Circle brings together disputing parties to resolve their differences. Resolution takes shape through a consensus agreement.

Reintegration Circles -- Reintegration Circles bring together an individual and a group or community from which that individual has been estranged to work toward reconciliation and acceptance of the individual into the group again. Reintegration Circles frequently develop consensus agreements. They have been used for juveniles and adults who are returning to the community from prisons or correctional facilities.

Celebration or Honoring Circles -- Celebration Circles bring together a group of people to recognize an individual or a group and to share joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Reprinted from The Little Book of Circle Processes : A New/Old Approach to Peacemaking. Copyright by Good Books ( www.goodbks.com ). Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Author:
Kay Pranis served as the Restorative Justice Planner for the Minnesota Department of Corrections for 9 years.

Since 1998, Prams has conducted Circle trainings in a diverse range of communities -- from schools to prisons to workplaces to churches, and from rural towns in Minnesota to Chicago's South Side to Montgomery, Alabama.

For more information, please visit http://goodbks.com/little_books.asp