Center for Community Justice

Restoring communities through corrective courses, education, and mediation.

Through restorative practices, the People’s Place Center for Community Justice is committed to providing services and courses designed to allow for offender accountability through taking responsibility and making amends. Our program follows the restorative justice framework that aims to address victim needs, and community responsibility in repairing harm, restoring relationships, and building safer, stronger communities.

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About This Program

In partnership with the State of Delaware, the Center for Community Justice (CCJ) provides victim-offender mediation for misdemeanor criminal offenses referred by the justice system. The program offers community mediation for landlord-tenant concerns, neighborhood conflicts, family issues, and employer-employee disputes. Additionally, the CCJ program offers Conflict Resolution-Anger Management and Shoplifter’s Alternative Education classes for youth and adults. The School Offense Diversion Program (SODP) is also available as a more comprehensive educational program tailored to youth.

All of these services, classes, and programs are open to the community through court referral, community agency referral, and self-referral.

Locations

Office:

1131 Airport Road Milford, DE 19963

(302) 424-0890

(302) 424-1404

Repairing Harm

Offender Accountability

Mending Relationships

Serving all ages, genders & backgrounds

We Provide Support

Mediation

We offer several types of mediation to help repair damage and relationships throughout our community. Mediations are available for Business-Offender, Victim-Offender, Police Diversion, and Community mediation that addresses topics such as landlord-tenant, employee/employer, family disputes, and more. Mediations can be held in person, via Zoom or over the phone. There is no charge for CCJ's mediation services.

Conflict Resolution/ Anger Management

This one day, 4.5-hour class is available for youth at no charge to students or families. It is designed to help develop the skills needed to resolve conflicts effectively and non-violently. The classes focus on recognizing and understanding anger, personal anger cues, managing conflicts, and developing personal plans to avoid violence. Classes take place from 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM, lunch and snacks are provided at no cost to students or families.

Shoplifter's Alternative

A comprehensive program designed to recognize the impacts and risks of shoplifting. This corrective course is available for both youth and adults. All offenders complete a Home Study Kit available in hard copy or online. This kit teaches the facts and myths of shoplifting, who is harmed, how their lives can be affected, and how to avoid the temptation of shoplifting. Our classroom segment for Juveniles reinforces the Home Study Kit and assists the youth in devising a personalized plan to stop shoplifting.

SODP

The School Offense Diversion Program (SODP) is a comprehensive five-sessions-in-three-months educational program that empowers students with the knowledge and strategies they need to effectively manage anger, maintain self-control, peacefully resolve conflicts, and create healthy relationships. The SODP is provided at no cost to students and families.

Training

The Center for Community Justice provides training on conflict resolution, negotiation, and communication skills for community groups. CCJ will provide training for those interested in becoming a volunteer mediator, and for individuals who like to learn mediation skills for their personal and/or professional use.

...and more

our diverse services extend beyond the list, ensuring tailored support for every unique need.

Learn more today!

Through our specifically tailored services, the Center for Community Justice is here to support you. To learn more about these services, and your eligibility, give us a call today!

Call 302-424-0890

Types of Mediation

Business-Offender Mediation

Mediations are scheduled at your convenience and parties are directly involved in deciding the resolution of the case. Overall, mediation is a faster and more convenient process for businesses. 95% of cases mediated by The Center for Community Justice are successfully closed.

Community Mediation

Disputes between tenants and landlords, neighbors, spouses, family, relatives, friends, roommates, or co-workers can be effectively resolved through the community mediation program. Either party to a dispute may request mediation services. If the other party agrees to meet, certified and trained mediators are assigned to facilitate a mutually satisfying resolution.

Victim-Offender Mediation

This is a court and police-supported program that was created to give victims and offenders an alternative to the already overloaded court system. In cases approved by the Attorney General’s office, victims and offenders may choose to resolve their cases through mediation. Meeting in a safe environment, at the convenience of the parties, they decide what kind of outcome is appropriate for them. Mediations can be held pre-trial, post-trial, post-conviction, and post-sentencing.

Police Diversion Mediation

Cases are referred directly from State Police and local city/town police departments for conflicts occurring between community members. These are conflicts that have not risen to the level of an arrest of either party, but where the need for continued police intervention has occurred. Mediations are held onsite at CCJ or at the referring police department in that community.

Benefits of Mediation

1. The parties decide the outcome and can resolve the dispute in almost any way they best see fit.

2. People fulfill mediated agreements more willingly and promptly than court-ordered sentences.

3. Mediation is informal, private, safe, confidential, and easy.

4. Mediation is faster and more convenient for the victim than court.

5. Parties are generally more satisfied with a mediated outcome than a court resolution.

Frequently asked questions

What are the costs associated with your services and classes?

The CCJ mediations, conflict resolution/anger management and school offense diversion program are free to the community. Our shoplifter’s alternative program has an associated fee. To learn more about the pricing for this course please contact our office.

Where are mediations held?

Mediations can be held at our Milford Office, or approved upon offsite locations within Kent and Sussex County.

Where are classes held?

Our classes are held at our Milford office, 1131 Airport Road, Milford, DE 19963. However, all classes offered by CCJ may be taught on-site at schools or in local community agencies, tailored to fit student/ youth needs.

Do mediators decide who is right and who is wrong?

No, the mediators do not make decisions or take sides. Their job is to help disputants develop a mutually agreed upon solution that would resolve the current dispute and reduce the chances of a similar situation occurring in the future.

*Participation in the mediation process is voluntary and confidential.