TEN salutes ReSolve (Formerly Mediation Works)

I don’t think it matters if you are a Republican, Democrat, Socialist, or Tea Partier (calling them Partiers kinda makes me want to be one), I think one thing everyone can agree on is that the criminal justice system in this country is completely broke. With more people incarcerated per capita then almost every country in the world, there is definitely a break down and issue in this country that needs someone to do something about it. The question is what…and is anyone doing anything about it now.

The good news around here is there is a local non-profit who is tackling this issue, and making a real difference in people’s lives. Just one part of what Resolve does is a Restorative Justice program, and when young people are involved a program called Victim Assistance, Youth Accountability (VAYA). Their key goal is not to punish an individual who has committed a crime by incarceration, but instead to heal the relationships that have been harmed as a result of the crime.

As they refer to it, there is a ripple effect for every action we take…either good or bad…and when an individual commits a crime, the victim is affected in ways that the “criminal” doesn’t recognize. And when faced with the results of the ripple effect, both the criminal and the victim can come together to make things right.

One local story involves a young man named Alex. (While most everything as Resolve is confidential, Alex came forward publicly with his story)  When in his teenage years, Alex had a bad relationship with alcohol, and regularly drank to the point of being disoriented and out of control. On one such evening, Alex was drinking and wandering the neighborhood with no real idea of where he was. Not being able to find his way home, he punched his arm through a neighbors window and proceeded to pass out on their couch.

Imagine the surprise and feeling the neighbor had when finding a strange man in her house. Police were called, and Alex was charged with Burglary and Criminal Mischief.

This case could have gone through the justice system, and had large impacts on Alex’s life and prospects for his future. Instead, he went through a month long program with VAYA where he learned of the ripple effect caused by his actions. The fear he had created with the victim.

Alex and the neighbor agreed to meet in person and have the opportunity to talk about the incident so that they could repair the harm and move forward. It was a successful and powerful meeting. The neighbor saw that Alex was not the scary criminal that was who she saw when he was found in her house, but a kid who was going through a rough patch in his life. And that she saw he understood the negative effects that he caused in her life.

Four years later, Alex called Resolve out of the blue to thank them for the positive impact that VAYA had on his life. Alex said “There hasn’t been a day that has gone by that I didn’t think of VAYA, the impact it left upon me was tremendous. I constantly wonder how different my life would look behind bars in a cell in Portland.”  Alex is currently serving in the Marine Corp. He says “I want my career after the military to have affiliations with restorative justice programs similar to Mediation Works (now Resolve).”

And this is just one arm of what Resolve does. They teach Mediation to local schools, organizations and community workplaces.  In fact, I went through one of their training sessions just a couple of months ago. One of the volunteer jobs I do is I am an Ombudsman for the local Realtor Association, to help resolve conflict that Realtors or the public have with each other in the event of a bad real estate transaction.

Resolve also provides Mediation and Facilitation services in the valley.

TEN Realty Group is proud to have named Resolve our Charity of the Month for January, 2016