Circles of Peace

Vermont’s Certified Domestic Violence Accountability Program

The Roots of Circles of Peace

Long before this model had a name, circles were used in Indigenous communities to address harm, restore balance, and strengthen relationships through dialogue and shared responsibility. That tradition of sitting together, speaking honestly, and listening with intention helped shape what would later become the Circles of Peace approach to accountability.

In the mid 1990s, restorative justice practitioners adapted these principles into a structured model for responding to domestic harm. The guiding question was simple and urgent: if the goal is safety, how do we help people who have caused harm actually change their behavior, not just complete a requirement?

Today, Circles of Peace is part of Vermont’s certified Domestic Violence Accountability Program that courts and community partners depend on as part of a coordinated response to domestic harm. The Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center offers both Circles of Peace and Circles of Peace Youth here in the Upper Valley.

Circles of Peace Youth

Circles of Peace Youth applies this same restorative, dialogue-based model with adolescents who have caused harm in their relationships.

Young participants are referred through the courts and meet regularly in small, facilitated groups where they examine their behavior, understand the impact of their actions, and learn healthier ways of communicating and relating to others. The focus is on recognizing harmful patterns early and building the skills needed to create safer relationships moving forward.

This program recognizes that accountability introduced early can interrupt patterns before they become more deeply rooted, creating the opportunity for meaningful change and safer communities.

  • Participants are referred through the courts after causing harm in their relationships. They meet regularly in small, facilitated groups where they are asked to look closely at their behavior, understand the impact of their actions, and practice new ways of communicating and relating to others.

    This is structured, guided work. Participants examine patterns around power, control, communication, and responsibility. They develop tools that support safer relationships and safer homes. The goal is meaningful behavioral change that contributes to community safety.

  • Accountability in this model does not center only the person who caused harm. The needs and safety of those impacted are prioritized throughout the process.

    HCRJC provides consistent outreach, safety planning, check-ins, and opportunities for harmed parties to share their voice if and when they choose. This support is an essential part of the program and a critical component of community safety.

  • Circles of Peace is rooted in restorative justice, dialogue, and the belief that people can learn to do better when given the structure, support, and responsibility to do so. This is what domestic violence accountability looks like when it is designed to create safer homes, stronger relationships, and a safer community for everyone involved.

The Circles of Peace Model

The approach used here at HCRJC is part of a broader restorative justice model known as Circles of Peace. This model was developed through years of research and practice by restorative justice leaders working alongside the criminal legal system to find more effective ways to address domestic harm.

Rooted in peacemaking circle traditions and restorative dialogue, Circles of Peace was designed to move beyond compliance-based programming and toward a process that supports real accountability, reflection, and behavioral change. Early pilots and research demonstrated that a circle-based approach could be both safe and effective for people referred through the courts for domestic violence offenses, while also centering the needs and safety of those who were harmed.

Today, communities across the country use this model as part of their response to domestic violence, recognizing that accountability requires more than completing a program. It requires honest dialogue, structured reflection, and the opportunity to learn new ways of being in relationship with others.

The work happening in the Upper Valley through HCRJC stands on this evidence-informed foundation, bringing a nationally recognized restorative justice model into our local community response.

Learn more about the national Circles of Peace model at circlesofpeace.us

Become a Volunteer

Circles of Peace is built on the belief that accountability is not only a legal process, but a community one.

Trained community volunteers play an important role in these circles. They sit alongside participants, listen with intention, ask thoughtful questions, and help create a space where honest reflection can happen. Volunteers are not there to judge or lecture. They are there to support a process that helps people understand the impact of their actions and learn how to build safer, healthier relationships.

This is meaningful, guided work. Volunteers receive training, ongoing support, and the opportunity to be part of a restorative justice practice that contributes directly to community safety.

If you are interested in being part of this work, we invite you to learn more about volunteering with HCRJC.