A circle (sometimes called a "conference") takes place when a crime has been committed against a person or their property. Those most directly affected take responsibility for what has happened and what should happen. A circle is comprised of a trained facilitator and co-facilitator, the offender, victim, investigating police officer, and support people for both the victim and offender.
In a typical circle, the offender is first given the opportunity to explain his or her conduct and apologize. The victim then shares how the offender’s behavior has affected them, and the support people are given the chance to say their feelings as well, showing the offender the full ripple effect of what has been done.
In the second phase of the circle, each participant is asked what needs to be done to hold the offender accountable, and to put the matter right. Once a consensus acceptable to all participants is reached the conditions are recorded in an agreement for the offender to complete within a set period of time. The purpose of the agreement is to give the victim a chance to have his or her needs met, and have the offender show that he or she is willing to make amends. This opportunity is not possible through the current court process.
By encouraging those most directly affected to take responsibility for what has happened and what should happened as a consequence, we believe that offending behavior can be transformed into a positive community resource. Offenders are not only members of their families but also of our community, and as such, each should recognize a responsibility to the other. The FACE Program maintains a goal that people will not only learn to resolve their immediate difficulties but will transfer the acquired knowledge to other situations, which can allow for greater community harmony. By working together to heal individual relationships, the entire community can eventually experience restoration.
