The services provided by the Community Dispute Resolution Program are free, voluntary, and confidential. Conflict coaching is a one-on-one meeting with a trained coach who will work to increase the defendant’s understanding of the conflict, address decision-making for future interactions, and teach conflict resolution skills specific to the individual. If a complainant declines to participate in mediation or a restriction is found during the screening process, a conflict coaching session will be scheduled for the defendant. With the assistance of a mediator, the two parties will identify the issue(s) involved in the conflict, work to clarify perceptions, and explore options for an acceptable resolution outside of the criminal justice system. Once both parties commit to proceed, a joint mediation session is scheduled.
The screening process allows each party to explain their side of the issue with an unbiased mediator who will determine the appropriate services for each party. Once referred to the CDR program, each party will meet with CRJ representative to schedule an initial meeting to discuss the issue. Referrals to the program will be made by the assistant district attorney or defense attorney upon request of either party or during plea negotiations in a criminal case. Through their coordinated effort, the Community Dispute Resolution Program aims to reduce the number of low-level criminal cases in Buffalo City Court by resolving disputes through mediation and conflict coaching. Throughout the past several months, the attorneys met with other representatives from their offices to develop the program that Center for Resolution and Justice (CRJ) will implement in Buffalo City Court with funding provided by the New York State Unified Court System to support court-based Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). District Attorney Flynn approved the launch of the program after being approached by the group at the WBASNY Criminal Law Committee “Meet Your D.A.” dinner last spring. Members of the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of New York (WBASNY), Assistant District Attorney Ashley Lowry, Rebecca Town (Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo) and Julie Loesch (Child & Family Services Center for Resolution and Justice), began discussing the need to bring the dispute resolution program back to Buffalo City Court. The diversion program will utilize mediation and conflict coaching to facilitate conversations between a complainant and defendant with a neutral third party to identify issues, clarify perceptions, and explore options for an acceptable resolution. Flynn announces the establishment of the Community Dispute Resolution Program (CDR) in Buffalo City Court, a restorative justice alternative to criminal proceedings to resolve issues between parties.
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