RC Resources

This purpose of this page is to serve as a repository for resources relating to the Restorative Circle (RC) process developed by Dominic Barter and associates in Brazil. Note: Inclusion on this page does not constitute endorsement.

Dominic Barter has been developing the Restorative Circle process in Rio de Janeiro since the mid 1990s. Today RC is a growing community both in Brazil and internationally and a vital part of the global restorative justice movement.

A Restorative Circle is a community process for supporting those in conflict. It brings together the three parties to a conflict – those who have acted, those directly impacted and the wider community – within an intentional systemic context, to dialogue as equals. Participants invite each other and attend voluntarily. The dialogue process used is shared openly with all participants, and guided by a community member. The process ends when actions have been found that bring mutual benefit.

                               ~Dominic Barter

Online Presence

• Restorative Circles homepage (maintained by Dom: videos, articles, more)
• Official Restorative Circles Facebook (maintained by Dom: musings, announcements, links)
• Restorative Circles Forum on Facebook (maintained by Ray Taylor and Mikhail)
• @RestoraCircles on Twitter (Dominic Barter’s RC musings and observations)

Academic Articles/Chapters

• Ortega, L., Lyubansky, M., Nettles, S., & Espelage, D. L. (2016). Outcomes of a Restorative Circles Program in a High School Setting.  Psychology of Violence.
• Lyubansky, M., & Shpungin, E. (2015). Challenging Power Dynamics in Restorative Justice. The Psychology of Restorative Justice: Managing the Power Within. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing.
• Shpungin, E. (2014). The Fluidity of Victimhood. T Gavrielides (ed.). [contact Elaine for reprint].
• Murray, H., Lyubansky, M., & Miller, K. (2014). Towards a Psychology of Nonviolence. In E. Mustakova-Possardt, M. Lyubansky, M. Basseches, & J. Oxenberg (Ed.). Toward a Socially Responsible Psychology for a Global Era. New York: Springer Science + Business Media, LCC.
• Lyubansky, M. & Hunter, C. (2014). Towards Racial Justice. In E. Mustakova-Possardt, M. Lyubansky, M. Basseches, & J. Oxenberg (Ed.). Toward a Socially Responsible Psychology for a Global Era. New York: Springer Science + Business Media, LCC.
• Restorative Justice for Trayvon Martin (2013). Published in Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, by Mikhail Lyubansky
• A Restorative Approach to Interpersonal Racial Conflict (2011). Published in Peace Review, by Mikhail Lyubansky and Dominic Barter
• NESTA Report on Radical Efficiency (2010). For RC coverage, including evaluation data from Brazil, see pages 1-4, 8, 19 and 41-43

“How to” Articles

• Micro-Circles (Elaine’s article about a form of RC for little conflicts and/or little people, Originally published as a Psychology Today blog)
• From Sibling Conflict to Sibling Camaraderie: Micro-Circles part 2 (Elaine’s FAQ written in response to article above)

Pop Culture Anthologies (newer content at top)

• Seven Roads to Justice for Superheroes and Humans (by Mikhail Lyubansky) in Our Superheroes, Ourselves.
• The Cost of Justice (by Mikhail Lyubansky & Elaine Shpungin) in The Psychology of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Workshop Notes

• Walking Towards Community – A Restorative Approach, with Dominic Barter
  (D. Cambridge, 2013).

Media Coverage and Blogs (newer content at top)

• New Study Reveals Six Benefits of School Restorative Justice (M. Lyubansky, 2016, PT)
• Students’ intentions were good; driver in difficult situation (N. Lafond, 2015, News Gazette)
• A Restorative Response to MH17 (C. Eisenstein, 2014)
• Restorative Justice Isn’t a Plug and Play Option (J. Lash, 2014, Juvenile Justice Info. Exchange)Conflict is a Good Thing (M. Garmon, 2013, Lake Chalice)
• From Punitive to Restorative Justice (M. Rowan Leach, 2013. Kosmos: Journal for Global Transformation)
• Rochester’s Underground Justice System (C. Fien, 2012, Rochester City Newspaper)
• Restorative Circles and Heart of Justice (J. Lash, 2012, Juvenile Justice Info Exchange)
• Walking Toward Conflict (D. Barter, 2012, for fee in Tikkun Magazine)
• The Fight Room (E. Shpungin & D. Barter, 2012, Tikkun)
• A Restorative Circle in the Wake of a Police Shooting (A. Brenneke, 2012, Tikkun)
• The Restorative Revolution: It’s Coming (E. Shpungin, 2011, Psych Today)
• The Most Important Thing to Know About Conflict (E. Shpungin, 2010, Psych. Today)
• Our Justice System Requires Us To Punish Wrongdoers. What If There Were a Better Way? (M. Lyubansky, 2010, Psych Today)
• Violence Begets More Violence (D. Champagne, 2010, The Daily Record)
• The Art of Sharing Power and Responsibility to Create Community (J. Malkin, 2010, Good Times)
• Restorative Circles: Justice Without Classism (Koch-Gonzalez, 2010, Classism Exposed)
• Towards Peace and Justice in Brazil: Dominic Barter and Restorative Circles (J, Wachtel, 2009, IIRP)
• 21st Century Justice at a Local Brazilian School (B. Tonasse, 2009, Comunidad Segura)

Audio and Video

• Building Bridges: Restorative Circles and Existing Systems (Restorative Justice on the Rise, 2013, Special Guests Dominic Barter and Sissi Mazzetti of Restorative Circles)
• Dominic Barter on Molly Rowan Presents [audio, 2012]
• Dominic Barter: How Restorative Systems Can Bring Justice Scales to Balance [audio]
• Dominic Barter on Illinois Public Radio [audio]
• Ann McKnight TEDx Macatawa: Turn Toward Conflict
• Restorative Circles Vimeo Homepage
• Videos on official RestorativeCircles.org webpage

Other International Resources

• List of Practice Groups on official RestorativeCircles.org webpage

Local Resources (central Illinois)

• RestorativeCU facebook page
• RestorativeCU on Twitter