Dispute Resolution Center

THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTER IS DEDICATED TO RESTORING COMMUNITIES BY PROMOTING THE CONSTRUCTIVE RESOLUTION OF CONFLICT THROUGH OPEN COMMUNICATION AND SHARED DECISION-MAKING.

MEDIATION OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO OFFER OUR MEDIATION SERVICES TO RAMSEY COUNTY COURTS (FOR HOUSING, HARASSMENT, CONCILIATION, CONTRACT, AND GENERAL CIVIL MATTERS), AND COMMUNITY MEDIATION FOR CIVIL & FAMILY LAW DISPUTES. DRC DESIRES TO BRING AWARENESS TO MEDIATION THROUGH EDUCATION OFFERING MORE TRAININGS AND CLE CREDITS TO VOLUNTEERS FOR CONTINUED EDUCATION. WE WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES, AVOID EVICTIONS, AND TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THEIR LANDLORD/TENANT RIGHTS. WE WANT TO INFORM COMMUNITY OF OPTIONS FOR HANDLING DISPUTES IN A HEALTHY AND RESTORATIVE WAY. QUALITY MEDIATION AND AFFORDABLE PRICES IS WHAT WE STRIVE FOR. TOTAL COURT MEDIATIONS 2021: 219 TOTAL COMMUNITY MEDIATIONS: 32 IN 2021 DRC'S MEDIATION PROGRAM HAD 251 COURT AND COMMUNITY MEDIATIONS WHICH LED TO LESS HOUSING EVICTIONS AND CIVIL DISPUTES. WE OFFERED TWO 30- HOUR MEDIATION TRAININGS TO RECRUIT MORE VOLUNTEERS TO RECEIVE THEIR MN RULE 114 CREDENTIALS. OUR VOLUNTEER NUMBERS IN 2021 REACHED 60 VOLUNTEERS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE 10% DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE COURTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT INTERNAL SYSTEMS AND OTHER SMALL VARIABLES. ADULT (ETHOS) AND YOUTH (GRO INITIATIVE) DIVERSION TOTAL RESTORATIVE CIRCLES FOR ETHOS: 113 TOTAL RESTORATIVE CIRCLES FOR GRO: 3 IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS DRC CONDUCTED 116 SUCCESSFUL RESTORATIVE CIRCLES. THESE RESULTS SHOWED A 97% SUCCESS RATE OF PARTICIPANTS REMAINING CRIME FREE FOR ONE YEAR POST RESTORATIVE CIRCLE. MEANING THE RECIDIVISM RATE OF 3%. CIRCLE DEMOGRAPHICS FOR ETHOS SERVED 51% FEMALES AND 48% MALES AND 1% NOT REPORTED, OF THOSE 43% WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN, 30% CAUCASIAN, 11% ASIAN, 4% HISPANIC ETC. DRC'S GRO INITIATIVE PROVIDED RESTORATIVE DIVERSION WORK FOR JUVENILES AGES 10 TO 17. OUR PARTNERS RAMSEY COUNTY DID NOT SEND MANY CASES TO OUR OFFICES DUE TO DEVOTING EFFORTS FOR RESEARCH AND DATA REGARDING YOUTH AND CRIME, POLICE RESPONSE, NEEDS AND RESOURCES FOR YOUTH IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO STAY OUT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. DRC SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AND CLOSED 3 CASES IN 2021. DRC OFFERED THREE TRAININGS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO BE CERTIFIED IN RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AS A CIRCLE KEEPER AND COMMUNITY MEMBER. CASES FROM THE CITY OF ST. PAUL AND RAMSEY COUNTY HAVE AN OVERLOAD OF CASES THAT NEED TO BE CLOSED. IN 2022 WE WILL DOUBLE TRAININGS AND RECRUIT MORE VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT THIS WORK. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THEMSELVES, BUILD HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PEERS, AND BUILD A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT WITH MENTORS WHO CARE ABOUT THEM. THEY WILL GAIN HEALTHY LIFE AND SELF- DEVELOPMENT SKILLS LIKE SELF-DISCOVERY, SELF-EXPRESSION, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. WE WANT TO BRING HEALING TO OUR YOUTH WHO ARE STRUGGLING MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY. OUR CIRCLES OF SUPPORT OFFER AN OUTLET WITH OTHER YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO LEARN HOW TO COPE WITH THE NEW CHALLENGES FACED UPON THEM DAILY. TWO CIRCLE OF SUPPORT GROUPS (FLO) FOR LADIES ONLY AND (DMX) DIVINE MASCULINE XCELLENCE WERE FORMED. FLO/DMX ARE WEEKLY CIRCLES FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN THAT MEET ONCE A WEEK TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND: CONNECTION, WELLNESS, EMOTIONS, FAMILY STRUGGLES, "ADULTING", AND ALL THINGS IN BETWEEN DRC VALUES THE STRENGTH OF YOUTH VOICE AND RECOGNIZE THE OBSTACLES THAT HINDER YOUTH FROM BEING THEIR BEST, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TRAUMATIC TIMES. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF 12 WEEKLY SESSIONS, AN INVESTMENT OF 250 WILL BE GIVEN TO EACH PARTICIPANT FOR THEIR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. LED BY SOME OF THE BEST COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON DRC'S TEAM, FACILITATION IS BASED UPON LIVED EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE TO BRING SELF-AWARENESS, WISDOM, AND GUIDANCE IN SUPPORT OF YOUTH AND THE ISSUES THEY MAY ENCOUNTER. IN 2021, FLO KICKED OFF A PILOT RUN WITH FOUR YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPATING. IN THE FUTURE, THESE GROUPS WILL PROMOTE SISTERLY AND BROTHERLY BONDS THAT'S SAFE AND CONFIDENTIAL. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE & DIVERSION IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE FIGHT THE TRADITIONAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS BY SHIFTING THE NARRATIVES OF COMPLIANCE, RULES, AND REGULATIONS TO A RESTORATIVE APPROACH. OUR SERVICES HAVE EXPANDED TO SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, CORPORATE OFFICES, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. BY THE END OF 2022 OUR VOLUNTEER CAPACITY WILL DOUBLE SO WE CAN PROVIDE EXCELLENT SUPPORT TO CLIENTS ON HOW TO NAVIGATE CONFLICT USING RESTORATIVE TOOLS. WE CAN AS A COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER AND SPEAK ABOUT THE HARM CAUSED AND BRAINSTORM TOGETHER WAYS FOR COMMUNITY TO HEAL FORWARD. AT DRC, WE TRANSFORM RELATIONSHIPS IN REAL TIME.