An Integrated Conflict Management System in CORRECTIONS?Kay Pranis Sue StaceyACR Conference 2013

Trainers

2

Kay PranisInternational trainerFacilitatorAuthorFormer MN DOC Restorative Justice Planner

Sue StaceyICMS Coordinator at MN DOCTrainer Mediator RJ practitioner

Learning Objectives When you’re done with this session, you

will Understand vision, goals and history of MN

DOC’s Integrated Conflict Management System

Know ICMS’s scope of services, trainings, policy alignment, infrastructure, and assessment

Be familiar with some results experienced with DOC culture changing to its New Normal

3

Overview - Minnesota Department of Corrections:acknowledges conflict is normalhas dispute resolution services unique in

correctionsis increasing staff ‘conflict competency’ with

trainings in conflict management skills is measuring culture change progress with

staff surveys has aligned policies with vision: DOC culture

changing to talking things out as the New Normal

4

5

Demo - talking circle process

Talking circle process

Helps to manage discussion

Creates space for contributions of quiet people

Spreads responsibility to all participants

Promotes better listening

Encourages the use of silence

Reinforces the principle of equality

6

Guidelines for circle Pass talking piece in one direction only Speak only when you have the piece No interruptions Speak respectfully Speak honestly/from the heart Listen when others are speaking Speak on the topic and as briefly as possible to

make your point

7

Introductions

Who are you?What are you looking for in this

workshop?

Show of hands Training in mediation? Training in restorative justice principles

and/or practices? Experience as a participant in

mediation? Experience as a participant in a

restorative justice practice?

Workplace Relationships Workplace relationships exist so

individuals can share information, make decisions, and get own jobs done

Fostering healthy workplace relationships enhances employee satisfaction and commitment to their jobs, decreases turnover, and reduces leave abuse, grievances and litigation

9

Imagine …

You’re having some trouble with one of the people you work with and:

You have stopped talking to each other You’re avoiding each other completely And you’re both talking with coworker friends

about how wrong the other person is and how offended you are by their actions

10

What are the possible effects of that dispute?

11

Now imagine your workplace is a prison and you are a correctional officer…

What effects of the dispute might be the same as in an office setting?

What effects of the dispute might be different?

12

Minnesota Department of Corrections

encourages voluntary, consensual resolution of workplace disputes: to the maximum extent practical and

appropriate at the earliest stage feasible by the fastest and least expensive method

possible at the lowest possible organizational level

13

MN DOC’s ICMS

works to create a more positive workplace by giving staff, volunteers and contractors:

The power to use effective and efficient conflict response services (“CRI”)

Enhanced conflict resolution skills through training

Notice that DOC expects all will deal constructively with conflict

14

Integrated Conflict Management System providesConflict response services by trained staff

facilitators: Conflict coaching Facilitation Workplace conferences Circles

Training courses to develop staff conflict resolution skills

Research measuring DOC culture change: staff survey

15

ICMS is based on

Transformative mediation and restorative justice principles and practices – such as:

All people deserve respect Those most affected are best able to craft

the solution Any group of people, given some tools, can

‘clean up their own messes’ Repairing harm and relationships =

important

16

How did it all begin?

Restorative Justice

18

Restorative Justice

Who has been harmed?What are their needs?Who’s obligated to meet those needs to

make things right?

MN DOC’s Restorative Justice Initiative formally began in February, 1994 when Kay Pranis was hired

19

ICMS History: MCF Willow River/ Moose Lake - Fall, 2001

MCF-WR/ML researched incorporating RJ concepts into offender re-entry

Realized staff needed to 1st address unresolved staff conflict

That became their focus

20

Conclusions at Willow River/ Moose Lake: people needed

to understand and model restorative principles with each other

to recognize the impact of unresolved conflicts and unhealthy staff relationships on prison operations

another option for resolving workplace conflicts

21

Conclusions at Willow River/ Moose Lake

Traditional methods – confidential reports, grievances & investigations - did not meet people’s needs

Wanted to create a process that let people in conflict find common ground and build relationships, rather than focusing on blame

22

Willow River/Moose Lake created Conflict Response Initiative (CRI)

Research and work with Kay Pranis (DOC) and Prof. Maria Cuzzo (UW-Superior)

CRI was created based on transformative and restorative models

CRI processes = face to face resolutions Since then it has grown to become an

Integrated Conflict Management System And spread throughout the entire agency

23

24

1st training of Willow River/ Moose Lake staff as CRI facilitators

Trained as circle keepers (facilitators)

Kay’s epiphany

ICMS’s CRI services Offered by ICMS and used by staff, volunteers,

and contractors Staff are trained as “facilitators” They assist individuals to clear the air and

craft a mutually satisfactory resolution

25

ICMS’s Conflict Response Initiative (CRI) services

Conflict coaching

Face to face processes Facilitation (mediation) Workplace conference Circle

26

ICMS’s CRI services Voluntary participation Confidential Facilitators ≠ deciders Unique for letting people decide how to

resolve their disputes Not available during an investigation or

grievance, but available afterwards Do not prevent employees from using

other, formal options (complaint, grievance, etc.)

27

The Dirty Mops CRI and what it taught us

28

29

DOC policies support people talking things throughPolicy 103.229 Integrated Conflict

Management SystemPolicy 103.300 Anti-Discrimination and Sexual

HarassmentPolicy 103.228 General Harassment – Purpose:

To provide a work environment free from general harassment and to encourage employee participation in mediation processes to resolve conflicts.

(Emphasis added)

30

DOC policies support people talking things through Policy 103.220 Personal Conduct of Employees -

(F.) 1. Employees must develop and demonstrate conflict competency skills, including: recognizing, understanding and acknowledging conflict; respecting the point of view of others; bringing conflict to the attention of the appropriate individual and working to resolve conflict when directly involved, in order to manage and respond to conflicts and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner to minimize negative impact, in keeping with the Integrated Conflict Management System Policy 103.229.

(Emphasis added)

31

ICMS provides staff trainings Basic course required for all staff for 6

years Supervisors and managers have specific

required courses All staff - optional courses to develop

conflict resolution skills Trainings for work units about conflict

management Year: 9,000 – 11,000 training participant

hours completed by 4,400 staff

32

33

Voices from inside: Officer Martin Heumann and Lieutenant Laurel Dinneen, staff who facilitate ICMS’s CRI processes

Critical elements that have made it possible for ICMS’s start and growth

34

Staff desperation Leadership: staff with LONG

term commitment, and warden Line staff initiative for line staff “On top of everything” work by

staff Values-based Policy alignment Adding supervisors’ tool Training for all staff: required

and optional, online and classroom

Challenges Measuring impact –

especially the more it becomes the New Norm

Long-term resistors Ups and downs Each site has a distinct

culture Corrections culture

suppresses “needs” acknowledgement

Persistence is required!

35

The New Normal Hiring practices include conflict

management questions Conflict management skills, ICMS

training and involvement = preferred qualification for promotion to lieutenant and above

Personal Conduct of Employees conflict competency responsibility to be reflected in all staff performance reviews

Staff at 3 facilities know Self Mediation # of CRI’s ↓ and conflict coachings ↑

36

Workplace Conference

A group conflict resolution process with ordered speech where participants focus on specific incident(s) and formulate an action plan to resolve the

situation and prevent future conflict

37

Workplace ConferenceDemo

38

Co-Facilitator

Staff

Co-Facilitator

Staff

Staff

Staff

A workplace conflict: practical jokes and

exclusion

39

40

Guidelines for circle discussion Pass talking piece in one direction only Speak only when you have the piece No interruptions Speak respectfully Speak honestly/from the heart Listen when others are speaking Speak on the topic and as briefly as possible to

make your point

41

Talking Circle

Separate Rounds:

1. Comments about the information presented?

2. How was using circle process for you?

Other questions?

43

THANKS for your

participation!