Peacemaking is a traditional Native American approach to justice focused on healing and community restoration, rather than punishment. The Near Westside Peacemaking Project brings this practice to one of Syracuse, New York’s most distressed neighborhoods, offering community members a unique approach to addressing an array of community problems, including neighbor and school disputes and cases traditionally processed through the family or criminal courts. The project also engages community members, both as peacemakers, and in resident-driven projects intended to benefit the community.
This report describes the 24-month planning period and the program’s first two years of implementation, including program structure, goals, caseload, and feedback from participants.
