A group of recent high school graduates convened in a circle on the second floor of the Bronx's Kingsbridge Heights Community Center and discussed their typical behaviours.

The Bronx Youth.Photo byEliott ReynaonUnsplash

She can let go when she feels secure, according to one. Another person assured the gathering that speaking her mind would not be awkward. A third person suggested that she might be more like herself.

The group was trained to facilitate "restorative justice circles," which are discussions in which members sit side by side in a circle and work through a challenging topic.

Although the word restorative justice is broad and can refer to many different things, in this instance, the circles are intended to assist the younger teens in the neighbourhood in feeling more at ease when expressing their emotions and resolving disagreements.

The Bronx Community Center

The Bronx Community Center is one of sixteen New York City organizations that will receive a total of $6.5 million over the next year for programs that support public safety through the use of restorative justice, a theory that tries to foster community and resolve conflicts through dialogue rather than punishment or legal action.

It is occasionally employed as a means of rapprochement between criminals and their victims. However, it can also be an instrument to make people feel more at ease during challenging conversations.

Certain Organizations Are Already Using The Restorative Justice System

Restorative justice is already being used as a dispute-resolution tool by certain NGOs, court employees, and school administrators in New York City.

The increased monies will be used to support several projects aimed at boosting the city's already growing usage of restorative justice. Some will educate others on how to facilitate debates like the one in Kingsbridge Heights.

Others will organize support groups for adolescents detained on suspicion of armed crimes, addicts, survivors of domestic abuse, and schoolchildren.

The City Funding

Additionally, the city funds organizations that assist schools, violence interrupters, and other community groups in putting restorative techniques into practice.

The money is from a deal reached by the city five years ago to dismantle Rikers Island and enhance spending for non-carceral measures of public safety and justice. This agreement also included an increase in financing for community-based organizations that work to keep neighbourhoods safer.