"After attending a FACE Program [Circle] my opinion changed as I found it to be a satisfactory experience." -- Victim
"I would like to thank everyone who volunteered their free time to make this work." -- Offender
"...very helpful to resolving the situation... we felt safe and respected in the circle, and the outcome was positive." -- Anonymous
"I really like the idea of being able to confront everyone that was a victim." -- Victim Support Person
"Wonderful program to have to settle these matters out of court and actually face that person." -- Victim
"In a lot of cases it allows the people involved in the incident to move forward in a positive way. It allows the victim to be able to explain to whoever committed the offence against them exactly how it impacted them. At the same time, it allows the offender to hear and understand the impact, so they can move forward in a more positive way in their own life, because they actually recognize that these aren't nameless, faceless crimes -- their actions do have impacts on other people."
"Some of these justice circles, and we've had some great ones in Midland through the FACE Program, have come out with some real good outcomes where we've seen the ability of people coming back together. In a circle, the offender will often apologize and the apology is probably worth more than a jail sentence."
--Former Police Chief Paul Hamelin, as quoted in the Midland FreePress, article, "FACE TIME" by Christina Bernardo, February 18, 2009, p.4
"One (recent) situation that I was personally involved in, the solution worked out very well -- not only for the student involved, but also for the school as a whole. It really helped the student get back on track to the extent that the student, I think, will be successful to graduate."
"Given my knowledge of the student and a relatively good record prior to that, it seemed to be a good diversion program as opposed to putting them up in front of the courts."
"It's one of the few opportunities you can really say to a student in a total, open and honest situation, is 'this is what your actions did to me personally, to the school, to the community,' It was interesting to bring the personal aspect to it."
"I would certainly recomment [FACE Circles] for many non-violent offences. I think it's an excellent way to go. It's a very powerful thing when everybody sits down togethre, talks and the person that committed the offence gets to hear from other people taht were impacted."
--Craig Hawkins, Principal, Midland Secondary school, as quoted in the February 18, 2009 article titled "FACE TIME," Midland FreePress, p.4
"I walked in there [to the Circle] and it was a lot more open than I'd thought. You really face your problems. In court, you don't even talk. (In the circle), you spoke and saw everyone's point of view -- how I hurt them, how it happened, how I affected everybody. You really saw the effect of your actions. I found it amazing.
Before taking part, I was focused on my own problems, but with this you are forced to be faced with what everyone else is going through, too.
Once I started speaking to them [the other Circle participants], shook their hands, looked into their eyes and really communicated with them, I really saw they didn't mean harm. Before this, I was a bit bitter to them, even though I was the cause for it... If I would have gone to court, I would've just stayed that way.
You have the remorse... plus the consequence make a lot mor sense. Instead of probation, you write letters to the (victim). That's a lot harder than probation. There are benefits, but I found the consequences you're forced to face are a lot more personal. Instead of having a grudge against the system, it's more about accepting what you haave done wrong and becoming responsible for your own actions."
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--As reported in the "Beyond Crime & Punishment" article, The Midland Mirror, January 6, 2009, p.3 and p.5, by Nicole Million
"Going through the courts ...it's very intimidating. [In the Circle], they all spoke to him in a very clear way without humiliating him. In my little world, I was very concerned about my son -- where it was leaving him, what the consequences were -- and I hadn't really thought about the story on the other side.
You have to listen to what everyone is saying, which is not necessarily easy. The circle was very powerful, and it's rare that people communicate at that level these days... especially with teenagers."
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--As reported in the "Beyond Crime & Punishment" article, The Midland Mirror, January 6, 2009, p.3 and p.5, by Nicole Million
