Programs

Art-Mural

What We Do

Western Justice Center (WJC) designs trainings and programs based on best practices for schools, community groups, law enforcement agencies, workplaces, and courts.  These interventions build the capacity of the organizations to sustain conflict resolution systems and institutionalize a framework for conflict prevention, management, resolution and transformation.  WJC evaluates the impact of the conflict resolution intervention in each institution.  The needs of diverse populations are met through three primary methods:

Conflict Resolution Education and Training 

WJC designs customized curricula on conflict resolution concepts and skills for students, educators, parents, community leaders, police officers, and other professionals.  The curricula are presented through interactive and experiential trainings where participants practice negotiation, mediation and dialogue facilitation.  Materials are also disseminated through articles, events and conferences.

Community Dialogue

WJC creates a neutral space for people of varying perspectives to build understanding, trust and collaboration through facilitated conversations.  These dialogues allow stakeholders to address macro-level issues and conflicts affecting their communities and schools.  Previous dialogues have focused on police-community relations, violence prevention, and interfaith relations. 

Mediation 

WJC develops mediation programs for schools and law enforcement agencies to assist in the management and resolution of interpersonal conflicts. Students are trained as mediators to help resolve conflict among their peers by applying problem-solving strategies for finding solutions. 

WJC provides conflict resolution programs for youth and the broader community.

Programs for Youth

Programs for Community

For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

Western Justice Center Blog


  • Introducing Encompass's Creating Bias-Free Classrooms Preview
    Posted by Sarah Belknap on January 04, 2012 

    Western Justice Center and Encompass have formed a collaboration that allows us to expand our services to schools. WJC would like to introduce you to our partner’s educator training program, Creating Bias-Free Classrooms.  This interactive teacher-training program uses live, improvisational theater to equip educators to build safe and inclusive classroom environments.  During each training session, teachers learn the laws and relevant teaching standards for creating a safe classroom.  They assess their own comfort and competence in handling these issues, learn to identify various forms of bias, and get hands-on experience in the most effective techniques to use in a classroom. By watching realistic classroom scenes performed by teenage actors, the teachers get to see how bias affects every student in the classroom. Teachers can safely experiment with different strategies of addressing bias related to gender, race or sexual orientation by practicing on teenage actors who are trained in improvisational theater.

    The program was created by Encompass and is a project of a service-learning class at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.   Join us on January 19, 2012  from 5-7:30 p.m. for an overview and demonstration of the program. Please RSVP with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

  • Judge Nelson in Pasadena Magazine
    Posted by Sarah Belknap on December 10, 2011 
    Judge Dorothy Nelson who founded WJC is profiled in this month's Pasadena magazine.  Judge_Nelson_Pasadena_Magazine_December_2011.pdf
  • Non-violence and Occupy LA
    Posted by Bethany Leal on December 02, 2011 

    As a long-time activist, I have understood the theory of non-violent action for many years.  I have studied the Greensboro lunch counter sit-ins and the teachings of Cesar Chavez.  Only recently, however, have I come to understand and fully embrace the practice of non-violent action and conflict resolution.

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  • August Training Wrap-Up
    Posted by Emily Linnemeier on September 13, 2011 

    August was a training whirlwind for WJC program staff and the stakeholders we work with across the education spectrum: teachers, students, and security officers.  This approach of training stakeholders disperses conflict resolution knowledge throughout an educational institution so that all members of the school community can support one another in using conflict resolution skills.

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  • It Takes Strength to Compromise
    Posted by Sarah Belknap on August 01, 2011 
    Strong supporter Tanya Acker talks the debt ceiling, compromise, and what Congress can learn from elementary school students in her new blog piece on the Huffington Post. Click here to check it out and tell us what you think via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , facebook, or twitter.
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