Students and adults identified several different themes related to lessening destructive forms of conflict. These included (1) having new skills/tools and (2) utilizing circles. The numbers in front of each quote correspond to the theme numbers above. Youth talked about learning to address conflict by talking it out rather than fighting it out. Adults discussed learning about and utilizing new tools because of RC and seeing students utilize new tools for conflicts. When adults spoke about the "tools," they were not necessarily speaking about the circle process but about specific skills from the process, such as using reflection when listening.
(1) It's [the RC program] just really been helpful for me with my friends and things. Like, recently I had a problem with my friends and I just pulled it to the side, I was like, "why this why that, how come this going on?" -9th male
Adults and students talked about how the fact that they were utilizing Circles was in itself an outcome of the RC program. Both groups mentioned seeing their peers using Circles more to deal with student conflicts.
(2) I feel like the administrators have embraced it [Circles]. I know that if there is an opportunity for students to go to the Circles they [administrators], kind of go in that direction"that's a change because, you know, sometimes the administrators, you know, they rule with an iron fist and "it's my way" and "we're gonna handle this discipline situation this way" and she's [principal] been, you know, able to kind let the circle process play out all of them [the conflicts]. --Administrator
5. Meaningful dialogue
For both students and adults, another positive outcome of RC was meaningful dialogue. Under this category three specific types of benefits emerged 1) understanding and connecting, 2) reducing rumors/boosting and 3) getting to the actual cause of the issue. The numbers in front of each quote correspond to the theme numbers above.
(1) I feel like everyone can get their point of view across [in Circles]...I think that [RC] is a good program. Um, I think that is a way for people to get- to like- to understand each other so that way they are not just bickering a whole bunch of words and no one is listening, but they're actually saying something that someone is going to listen to, and then they can relay what someone wants to listen to back and then they will get to an understanding. -11th male
Students also enjoyed talking out their conflicts directly with their peers without having an audience observing and instigating. Adults talked about the "no boosting" outcome as not having peer pressure in the Circles. Students are used to a culture of violence that includes their peers instigating fights. Adults talked about how Circles provide students with a space to talk out their conflict with no peers around to "boost" it.
(2) You can get your point across and you don't have your friend or whatever in your ear. It's like you and that person and you can go with your mind and I guess you feel more safer when it's just y'all two to talk. Cause "if you were around a bunch of people"if you say, "okay let's leave it alone", someone else out your crew gonna be like "oh you a punk, you just left it alone" "and then when you up in here [the Circles] it's like there's nobody there to tell you -12th female
Students and adults also enjoyed the positive outcome of getting to the actual cause of the issue instead of just fighting back and forth without even knowing why they are fighting.
(3) These kids that had conflicts were coming back together to be in the same building and sometimes in the same classes, and if it [the conflict] didn't get resolved then- if issues didn't get resolved then they [the conflicts] were gonna come up again. So the idea of having like a no contact contract, that doesn't make sense. I felt like these circles were really geared to get at the bottom of the issue, that- the underlying pieces, the feelings, the conflict. I felt like it's [RC program] very empowering for kids to be able to solve their own problems, to be able to listen"it is a wonderful model to help kids see that there is another way to resolve conflict. --Counselor
6. Academic and social achievements
One benefit that was reported only by adults was seeing a stronger focus on academic and social achievements among students participating in Circles. This category consisted of three themes, (1) maturity in students, (2) better behavior in students, and (3) confidence in students. The numbers in front of each quote correspond to the theme numbers above.
(1) Academically they [the students involved in the RC program] seem more focused um, all of them have gotten jobs, well quite a few of them have gotten jobs. One is actually at X, so their whole mindset has changed, it's like they're- they've come up a level, you know? And I think it's about being mature, being placed in a role and I think they're living up to their role. --Administrator
(2) (3) Well she [the student] just not as "ahh." She's a loud and boisterous individual anyway, but is not as, intimidating and, you know, confrontational as she once was, I can see that. And just have that responsibility of having the opportunity to go down and speak, you know, that puts some wind beneath her little wings, you know, made her fly a little higher and that's good to see. --teacher
Conclusions and Implications
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