<title>10-25-96: Peacemakers and Problem Solvers
for the 21st Century - First Youth Conference; Anaheim,
California</title>
1
1
2
3 PEACEMAKERS AND PROBLEM
SOLVERS
4 FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
5
6 MEETING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET
RENO
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1996,
11:30 A.M.
20
21
22 SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONALS IN
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
23 FIRST YOUTH CONFERENCE
24 ANAHEIM,
CALIFORNIA
25
2
1 P R O C E E D I N G
S
2
3 MS. AMSLER: On behalf of SPIDR and most
4
especially as Co-Chair of the Youth Conference, I
5
would like to welcome the Honorable Janet Reno,
6
Attorney General of the United States.
7 I think that it's most
appropriate that
8
we be true to our word and give the voice to the
9
youth. So I would like to first
of all ask
10 Miranda to say a few words about
why the youth are
11 here. And then we will move on to Daniel who
will
12 share with the Attorney General a
little bit about
13 what we have been doing. And then Keena will
14 actually formally introduce
Janet.
15 MIRANDA: Thank you.
Good morning.
16 The reason that this
conference is being
17 held this year for the youth is
because we would
18 like to get the youth to come
here and procure
19 ideas for an agenda or youth
declaration to
20 presented in the year 2000. This agenda would
21 detail ideas of how we think
conflicts should be
22 resolved at the end of the 21st
Century. And it's
23 just to have the youth of today
help the youth of
24 tomorrow so that we will have a
much better world.
25 Thank you.
3
1 (Applause)
2 DANIEL:
Hello, I'm Daniel.
3 Again, we have come together as
a
4
community to find out what is happening within the
5
bounds of our world. We have
discovered what
6
conflict resolution is doing across the globe and
7
what needs to be done in the future to expand that
8
involvement, that change that needs to take place
9
is very important in all of our hearts.
We define
10 today what is going to happen
tomorrow. We can
11 look above and see what is going
on in the world
12 and really find in your
involvement what we can
13 see with our hearts.
14 (Applause)
15 KEENA: Good evening, ladies and
16 gentlemen.
17 It's a great honor for me
today to
18 introduce to you all the first
woman Attorney
19 General of the United States, who
directs also the
20 U.S. Department of Justice and
has been a strong
21 supporter of conflict
resolution. To me she is a
22 role model because in our society
today not many
23 women are given the high support
that they really
24 deserve to be given.
25 (Applause)
4
1 It's a great pleasure to
introduce to
2
you all the Attorney General for the United
3
States, Ms. Janet Reno.
4 (Applause)
5 MS. RENO: Thank you very much.
6 I was particularly excited when
I
7
learned that I would have the opportunity to talk
8
with you today because I find that young people
9
have better ideas than anybody else I know about
10 how to address the problems that
we face in this
11 century and the next in a common
sense way that
12 can make life more peaceful for
everyone.
13 For 15 years I served
as the Chief
14 Prosecutor in Miami,
Florida. I went to a
15 different public school on the
average of once a
16 week trying to hear from young people
about what
17 we could do better. So I want you to be thinking
18 of questions for me or
suggestions. And I have
19 got a pen and a piece of paper
here because I want
20 to take back to Washington your
ideas.
21 (Applause)
22 I am also going to look
forward to
23 receiving a report on all the
talks that have been
24 developed in this
conference. So just remember
25 one question I'm going to ask at
the end: If you
5
1
were the Attorney General of the United States,
2
what would you do to improve conflict resolution
3
to make this world more peaceful and to reduce
4
violence. Be thinking of the
answer to that
5
question, and questions you have for me.
6 As Attorney General I am
responsible for
7
the FBI, the DEA, the Immigration and
8
Naturalization Service and the Bureau of Prisons,
9
agencies are facing much of the conflict in the
10 nation today. I have tried to use the tools, the
11 skills, the art of conflict
resolution in the
12 Department of Justice.
13 I bring people together
around my
14 conference table in the big conference
room where
15 Bobby Kennedy served as Attorney
General. And
16 there will be three people on
this side having one
17 view and three people on the
other. I am learning
18 from my friends who are experts
in conflict
19 resolution how to mediate, how to
get them to
20 negotiate, and sometimes how to
be the arbitrator.
21 It is a wonderful
experience. It is
22 wonderful to see what happens as
we apply conflict
23 resolution techniques so that we
avoid trials and
24 expensive litigation and get
problems solved for
25 the American people up
front.
6
1 In our Community Policing
Program,
2
President Clinton has promised to put 100,000
3
community police officers on the streets of
4
America, police officers who want to listen to the
5
people in their neighborhoods and work with them,
6
not against them, in developing priorities and
7
identifying problems and resolving disputes. And
8
we're trying to teach them what the professionals
9
have taught us about conflict resolution.
10 We have a marvelous
tool that gives to
11 people with disabilities access
to so much that
12 they never had before. It's the Americans With
13 Disabilities Act. And some businesses say it's
14 too difficult to comply with the
act and we're not
15 going to do it. So a person with a disability
16 comes to us and asks us to file a
lawsuit.
17 We're finding that we
can mediate that
18 problem to the satisfaction of
all concerned in a
19 much more effective, long-lasting
way. We are
20 making a difference because of
what you and others
21 are doing in forging the way in
conflict
22 resolution.
23 But the issue that I
think is one of the
24 greatest problems that we face in
this country
25 today, an issue that has been
close to my heart
7
1
for a long time, is the problem of increasing
2
youth violence. That will become
a greater
3
problem in this nation as the number of young
4
people increases significantly in the next ten
5
years. I have fought as hard as I
could as
6
Attorney General to work with local law
7
enforcement to reduce that violence.
8 When a child or young person
commits a
9
serious crime there should been a punishment that
10 is fair, that is firm, that fits
the crime. But
11 we should also focus on what
caused the crime in
12 the first place, what was the
problem, and work
13 together to resolve that
problem.
14 We have much to learn
from our native
15 American friends in terms of
sentencing circles
16 and community and restoring the
justice that goes
17 with healing and to peace and not
to advocacy and
18 not to adversarial
solutions. We have much to
19 learn in terms of what we can do
to improve
20 mediation skills among teachers
and police
21 officers. And I need your thoughts as to what I
22 can better do in Washington to
address these
23 issues.
24 We can do so much if we
teach our young
25 people how to resolve disputes
without knifes and
8
1
guns and fists. And you, you are
the leaders in
2
this effort. What you are doing
here is truly
3
making a difference around the world.
4 (Applause)
5 One of the most important
things we must
6
do is never give up on our young people.
There
7
are going to be young people that get in trouble.
8
But we shouldn't write them off.
We should sit
9
down with them in probation programs and juvenile
10 justice institutions and teach
them how to come
11 back to the community with a
chance of living
12 strong, positive, constructive
lives. And
13 conflict resolution and the tools
that you are
14 helping to disseminate across
this nation are so
15 important in that regard.
16 But violence is a
learned behavior. And
17 one of the best places to learn
violence is in
18 your very younger years. It's the most formative
19 time in a person's life. And this is how I
20 learned about that. In 1985 the crack epidemic
21 hit Miami and the doctors asked
me to come over to
22 our public hospital to try to
figure out what to
23 do about crack involved infants
and their mothers.
24 We could not send the
babies home with
25 their mothers. They were totally incapable of
9
1
taking care of them. So they
stayed in the
2
nursery. They were not held or
talked to except
3
when changed or fed. And they
weren't beginning
4
to react with human emotions, whereas a child
5
across the room who was born with terrible birth
6
defects was beginning to respond to both her
7
parents who were with her almost around the clock.
8 And the experts taught me that
the first
9
formative time in a person's life is the first
10 three years when the child learns
the concept of
11 reward and punishment and
develops a conscience.
12 Fifty percent of all learned
human response is
13 learned in those first
years. And if that is the
14 case, we must focus all, much of
our effort on how
15 we teach the very young to grow
up, not to fight
16 over a block, not to fight over a
book, not to
17 push one another off the toy, but
to resolve their
18 disputes early on.
19 If we can teach these young children
to
20 read, to write, to do basic
arithmetic as they
21 grow up, surely we can teach them
how to resolve
22 disputes in a peaceful way, how
to problem solve
23 rather than to confuse the issue,
how to listen
24 and to talk to people so that you
can develop
25 understanding, how to respect
each other rather
10
1
than to put down each other, how to appreciate the
2
great and marvelous and magnificent diversity of
3
this nation and this world, and to realize how
4
much every person, regardless of where they come
5
from, how much they have to contribute.
6 We can do so much if we make a
7
commitment. And I want to make a
commitment to
8
you, if I live that long. This is
the 24th Annual
9
Conference of the Society of Professionals In
10 Dispute Resolution. Twenty-four years from now
11 will be their 48th conference. And let's just say
12 that in Miami, Florida, where I
expect to be
13 living, and I'm an 82-year-old
little, old lady
14 who comes tripping into the
meeting, I hope you
15 all as the leaders that will take
us into that
16 time, who will help us forge a new century,
who
17 will set the directions of the
new century, will
18 be able to show that little, old
lady sitting in
19 the back of the room that you
have developed a
20 nation and nations that focus on
conflict
21 resolution so that every child
will have learned
22 the skills, every teacher, every
community police
23 officer, every parks and
recreation specialist
24 will have the skills to mediate
and to help people
25 resolve conflict.
11
1 Businessmen won't have to go to
court
2
because they will be taught conflict resolution.
3
Lawyers may have to occasionally try a case, but
4
lawyers will be taught in every law school in this
5
country how to resolve disputes without
6
complicated process, and more than process, how to
7
resolve disputes and solve the problem on a
8
permanent basis.
9 (Applause)
10 The 19th Century in
this nation is
11 remembered as the century of
cowboys and Indians
12 and shootouts at the Okay
Corral. This century
13 has been a century of great wars
and now youth
14 violence and conflict in
different parts of the
15 world. I hope that working together, drawing
16 ideas from you for the future of
tomorrow, drawing
17 ideas from people who care so
much about this
18 country and this world, that we
can make the 21st
19 Century the century of
peace.
20 (Applause)
21 And now with that, I'm
anxious to hear
22 your ideas, questions or the
answer to that
23 question, if you were Attorney
General what would
24 you do to make this world more
peaceful.
25 QUESTION: My name is Melissa.
12
1 MS. RENO: Why don't you come up here to
2
the microphone. And here is
another one.
3
QUESTION: My name is Melissa from New
4
Jersey, Wilson Park High School.
I have a
5
question for you.
6 What are you doing presently in
trying
7
to implement new initiatives in conflict
8
resolution? Can you update us on
any new
9
developments at the government level?
10 MS. RENO: What we have tried to do is
11 we have developed an Alternative
Dispute
12 Resolution Program for our
litigators. I have
13 appointed a senior lawyer as head
of our conflict
14 or our Alternative Dispute
Resolution Program.
15 And he has developed regional
programs across the
16 country for all of our
lawyers. We have not
17 gotten them all trained but we
are training them
18 in how to resolve conflicts
without going to
19 court.
20 We are also working
through our Office
21 of Juvenile Justice programs in
terms of trying to
22 pull together what is working and
not working in
23 youth conflict resolution
programs. And we are
24 working with the Department of
Education.
25 We had a conference
this last
13
1
October 17th in St. Louis and we will have
2
regional conferences around the country.
And one
3
of the things that we are doing which is so
4
important, when we invite schools or social
5
service agencies or community-based organizations,
6
we are saying bring a team, bring a young person
7
with you on that team.
8 I mentioned earlier what we are
doing
9
with the Americans With Disabilities Act in terms
10 of providing a grant to an
institution skilled in
11 this area so that they can
develop mediation
12 programs. And we're resolving a large number of
13 complaints with mediation and
without further
14 litigation. Those are some of the initiatives
15 that were undertaken.
16 One area that I am focused
on a great
17 deal is how we resolve conflicts
in law
18 enforcement settings. You probably followed the
19 situation with the Montana
Freemen. Director Freeh
20 and the FBI working with the
Department of Justice
21 have tried to do everything we
could to develop
22 better litigation skills to
understand how best to
23 use mediators in standoff
situations.
24 Our Community Relations
Service has been
25 in operation now for over 30
years. And they have
14
1
done some wonderful work in conflict resolution in
2
communities that are in disturbance.
3 So those are some of the
initiatives
4
we're undertaking. We've got a
lot more to do,
5
though.
6 (Applause)
7 QUESTION: Good afternoon, Attorney
8
General. My name is Teresa Gay
and I go to
9
Westminster High School in Westminster.
10 I believe that the
society we live in
11 today has continued to challenge
us with conflicts
12 that we have never encountered
before due to the
13 advancement in technology and the
changes in the
14 traditional family unit. What do you suggest and
15 how will you continue to help us
in our quest for
16 peace and how should we combat or
adjust to these
17 changes?
18 MS. RENO: First of all, with respect to
19 the change in the family unit, I
think that
20 raising children is the single
most difficult
21 thing I know to do. I have never been married and
22 I don't have children of my
own. But in 1984 a
23 friend died leaving me as the
legal guardian of
24 her 15-year-old twins, a boy and
a girl. And the
25 girl was in love and I learned an
awful lot about
15
1
raising children since that time.
I have learned
2
that it takes hard work, intelligence, and an
3
awful lot of love and an awful
lot of luck, that
4
it is one of most rewarding experiences that
5
anybody can have.
6 With single parents trying to
raise
7
children, with more and more instances where both
8
parents are working to make ends meet to give
9
their children a future, we have children more
10 alone and at loose ends except
for their peers or
11 television than probably at any
time in history.
12 One of the things that
I am doing in the
13 Department of Justice is trying
to make sure that
14 we orient our work around family
as much as
15 possible through telecommuting,
through flexible
16 work hours, through shifts,
through shared jobs
17 not just for the mother but for
both parents
18 because I think it's important
that both parents
19 be involved in raising their
children.
20 And so those are some
of the initiatives
21 that I am undertaking. And when I go to a law
22 school for a graduation, I say --
now a lot of you
23 when I graduated, your fathers
when I graduated
24 from law school wanted to know
how much money they
25 were going to make. That's an important question.
16
1
But not only ask the law firm with whom you are
2
interviewing or the companies with whom you are
3
interviewing or the school system with whom you
4
are interviewing what are you going to pay me, but
5
ask them what are you going to do in terms of
6
family leave programs and programs that put family
7
first in the work place, too. And
I urge you all
8
to do that, too, as you start looking for jobs as
9
you grow older.
10 (Applause)
11 I'll be right
there. Don't give up on
12 me yet.
13 Technology was the
first part. I think
14 technology gives us wonderful
hopes for the future
15 and it creates extraordinary
risks for the future.
16 In both instances I think the
aspects of
17 technology that we face stagger
the imagination
18 and convert vanity to
prayer.
19 One of your great
challenges will be to
20 use the Internet and Cyberspace
to bring us
21 together, not to split us
apart. And we should
22 understand that we have got to
rebuild communities
23 around so many children and
families at risk. But
24 the community of tomorrow is
going to be the world
25 which will be able to communicate
as never and
17
1
ever before. Those are
extraordinary challenges.
2 It's the small and the close-in
terms of
3
the family and the community. But
we are all as
4
one with what Cyberspace has done, with what
5
technology has done in bringing us together and
6
giving us the opportunity to communicate.
7 Now, it won't be communication
in many
8
instances face-to-face, it will be how we
9
communicate in a civil way and a gracious way and
10 a respectful way in chat rooms
and things like
11 that. So it's a wonderful new world.
12 QUESTION: First of all, I would like to
13 thank you for being such a
supporter of conflict
14 resolution. And I was also going to ask you --
15 and this is from the whole group,
too -- to go to
16 some of the big politicians like
Mr. Clinton and
17 Mr. Dole, Mr. Gingrich and some
of the senators
18 and try and convince them that
mediation is a good
19 alternative to suing and
litigation.
20 MS. RENO: Bravo.
21 (Applause)
22 What President Clinton
did within this
23 past year was to direct all the
government
24 agencies in the executive branch
to develop -- and
25 he issued an executive order --
to develop an
18
1
alternative dispute resolution program.
He asked
2
the Department of Justice to forge the lead in
3
this effort. I have indicated
some of the things
4
that we have done, but we have asked other
5
agencies to meet with us, the Department of
6
Treasury, the Department of Health and Human
7
Services. And we are working with
their general
8
counsel to try to do everything we can do to
9
spread the message of ADR and dispute resolution
10 throughout the entire government. And we are
11 going to continue that
effort.
12 I think it's not only a
matter of
13 mediation, though. I think it's important for us
14 all, Republicans and Democrats,
to stop using the
15 invective that hurts and tears
and confuses and
16 use respectful, thoughtful
language that can help
17 us reach agreement rather than to
split us apart.
18 And that's what I have tried to
do as the Attorney
19 General. And President Clinton has been
20 marvelously supportive of me in
that effort.
21 (Applause)
22 QUESTION: Hello.
My name is Tajai and
23 I am from Bronx, New York. I had a question sort
24 of like a statement. What I seem to find out is
25 that in like places where there's
a lot of
19
1
minorities and the wave of crime within teenagers
2
is growing. And instead of having
like mediation
3
centers they have a lot more police.
And it's not
4
fair because the police like can harass the
5
teenagers, you know. And it's not
helping us out.
6
It's not helping none of the teenagers.
7 I think in every projects, you
know,
8
across the nation there should be a mediation
9
center where teenagers can turn to and have people
10 to talk to.
11 (Applause)
12 MS. RENO: That's a wonderful suggestion
13 and I am going to follow up. And one of the
14 things that I would like to do is
my address is
15 Tenth Avenue and Constitution in
Washington, D.C.,
16 the Department of Justice. Don't just wait until
17 I come back when I am a little,
old lady. Keep
18 the ideas coming.
19 Youth violence is
increasing not only in
20 minority communities but across
the nation. It
21 began in about 1985, I think,
with the
22 proliferation of guns as part of
the crack
23 epidemic. I have some good news but I don't want
24 to get self-satisfied about
it. Two years ago the
25 murder rate amongst young people
started to go
20
1
down. It's now down a second rear
in a row. For
2
the first time since 1985 the
youth violence rate
3
is down. I don't want it to be a
blip on the
4
screen, particularly when we recognize that more
5
young people -- there are going to be more young
6
people in the age category of 7 and 10, 12 to 17.
7 What we have tried to do
through
8
President Clinton's community policing initiative
9
is to put a new face on policing, a face that
10 says -- that can be a firm, fair
person respected
11 in the community who can reach
out and help people
12 solve problems, who can
mediate. And it is
13 wonderful to see a community
police officer
14 serving as a mediator working to
solve problems.
15 I am going to go back
to Washington and
16 look at the idea of how we can
develop mediation
17 centers that will help address
this area.
18 There are other
instances. We have got
19 to find good, constructive
programs for people
20 after school and in the
evening. And we are
21 focusing on that. I think that is vitally
22 important. We have got to do everything we can to
23 keep our young people in school
and to make school
24 challenging to enable young
people to graduate
25 from high school with a skill that can enable
them
21
1
to earn a living wage.
2 These are ideas that young
people are
3
giving me. I will never forget
sitting in a
4
juvenile detention facility in Kansas City, in
5
Omaha, and a young man said -- I said what could
6
have been done to prevent this problem in the
7
first place.
8 And he said something to do in
the
9
afternoon and evening, something that was
10 constructive that could challenge
me. And
11 somebody to talk to, some adult
who understood how
12 hard it is to grow up, and knew
when to give me a
13 pat on the back and when to give
me a figurative
14 kick in the backside. And he said, I just needed
15 somebody.
16 So there is so much
that we can do. So
17 keep your ideas coming. And I will go back to
18 Washington.
19 Now, one of the things,
somebody wrote
20 me and said -- he had an
idea. He said, I haven't
21 seen anything yet. Sometimes progress is slow.
22 But I keep trying and I do see
change. And your
23 ideas are so important.
24 (Applause)
25 QUESTION: My name is Chris. I agree
22
1
with what Tajai just said. And as
Attorney
2
General I am sure you know that youth crimes are
3
going up. But presently, what are
you doing to
4
solve this problem?
5 MS. RENO: What we have done is I have
6
designated one of my top people as the person in
7
charge of a youth violence initiative trying to
8
focus on how the U.S. attorneys and the Department
9
of Justice can work together with state and local
10 officials to reweave the fabric
of community
11 around our young people.
12 I want to make sure
that punishment for
13 young people is fair and firm and
fits the crime,
14 that it is not excessive, that it
is not a slap on
15 the wrist but that it's fair and
it's perceived to
16 be fair. I want to make sure, however -- and I
17 can try to push this, and in
trying to get people
18 to understand how important it is
-- if you send a
19 young person who has committed a
serious crime to
20 a youthful offender facility and
then send them
21 out back to the "Department
Of The Open Air Drug
22 Market," where they got into
trouble in the first
23 place with no supervision and no
support, that
24 doesn't make any sense.
25 So I have been pushing
to try to develop
23
1
aftercare programs for those who have been in the
2
juvenile justice system to give them a chance to
3
come back with a fresh start.
4 The President has focused on
guns. And
5
we have a youth handgun initiative that focuses on
6
initiatives that will keep guns out of the hands
7
of the young people.
8 And there are some innovative
and
9
creative things being done across the country,
10 tracing these guns back as well
to the people who
11 got them into the hands of young people, and
are
12 taking effective action again
them.
13 As I indicated earlier,
I think in many
14 instances violence is a learned
behavior. And one
15 of the most important places it
can be learned is
16 in the home. So we're focusing on domestic
17 violence, for the child that sees
his father beat
18 his mother comes to accept
violence as a way of
19 life.
20 And Congress has passed
a significant
21 sum of money providing for shelters and
innovative
22 programs to reduce domestic
violence.
23 But most of all, I
think it's important
24 to keep our young people out of
trouble in the
25 first place. Almost all the young people in this
24
1
country and in this world want to be somebody,
2
they want to contribute, they want to make a
3
difference, they want to be involved.
And they
4
only need in many instances just a helping hand or
5
a shove or a push.
6 I want to make sure that from
the time a
7
child is born that we give them the medical care,
8
the education, the support, the structure, the
9
afternoon and evening programs, the conflict
10 resolution and community programs
that will give
11 them the skills to grow as
strong, constructive
12 human beings.
13 When I first came to
Washington and
14 started talking like that some
people said she
15 didn't sound like an Attorney
General, she sounds
16 more like a social worker.
17 (Applause)
18 I explained to them
that it was neither
19 one nor the other, that when you
raise children --
20 I remember my mother who was a
wonderful lady.
21 She worked in the home, she
taught us to play
22 baseball and to appreciate
symphonies; she thought
23 us to play fair; she punished us,
sometimes I
24 thought too hard. And she loved us with all her
25 heart. And there is no child care in the world
25
1
that will ever be a substitute for what that lady
2
was in our lives.
3 But as you grow up you need
the
4
boundaries set. You need to know
if you cross the
5
boundaries there will be a fair punishment. But
6
most of all you need the love and the support and
7
the instruction that will keep you from crossing
8
those boundaries.
9 And so I think it's a
combination of
10 everything, most of all common
sense and love and
11 hard work. And we have all got to go about it.
12 One of the great things
that I see
13 happening now is that nobody,
almost nobody,
14 criticizes me about talking like
this anymore, and
15 most of all, the police chiefs
and mayors and
16 people who in are in the
communities who are
17 forging appliances with young people,
with social
18 workers, with police officers,
with parks and
19 recreation people and businesses
to provide
20 positive, strong programs for our
children.
21 We are making a
difference and it's one
22 of the reasons is because we're
involved with
23 children and young people.
24 (Applause)
25 QUESTION: My name is Talia and I am
26
1
from Westminster, California. And
I wanted to
2
ask, one of the major issues that we have brought
3
up in the youth conference is exposure to
4
mediation. For people to be in
mediation or to
5
have a better understanding of how mediation works
6
or how you can use it they have to know what
7
mediation is. And I just wanted
to know, because
8
exposure is not really made with mediation, I was
9
wondering if there were any plans exposing
10 mediation to the public, or if
there were plans or
11 implementation of new mediation
centers or
12 anything, when is it, what is the
time range, what
13 period?
14 MS. RENO: Our Office of Justice
15 programs working with juvenile
justice programs
16 working with the Department of
Educations is about
17 to release a guide on how schools
can go about
18 developing conflict resolution
programs including
19 mediation programs and how they
can be developed
20 in juvenile justice
institutions.
21 We are trying to reach
out to all
22 concerned to do everything we can
to participate
23 and to be an appropriate player
in this whole
24 educational process. One of the things that I
25 have learned is that sometimes mediation
takes
27
1
different forms. I volunteer in
the Washington,
2
D.C. school system. I have
adopted a school and I
3
also try to volunteer in terms of developing,
4
supporting conflict resolution mediation and
5
community mediation programs. And
we're trying to
6
do everything we can to support that effort.
7 It is fascinating to see
teachers
8
learning about mediation and to see different
9
roles that people are undertaking.
So we're in
10 the process and we would welcome
any suggestions
11 you have as to what more we can
do.
12 With respect to
community mediation, the
13 National Institute of Justice,
which is one of the
14 Department of Justice's agencies,
is involved in
15 and is sponsoring an assessment
of what is working
16 and what has been developed in
the community
17 mediation. And I think that we need to do
18 everything we can to spread the
word.
19 But most of all, it is
important to
20 spread the word about what is
working. And thus
21 essential to all of our efforts
is evaluating and
22 understanding what works and what
doesn't work, so
23 that we get sound, solid
information out to
24 schools, to social service
agencies, to police and
25 to other institutions.
28
1 (Applause)
2 QUESTION:
My name is Sara from Toronto,
3
Ontario. As a Canadian citizen
and one of the 50
4
community delegates that are here, I wanted to
5
know what you are doing, how you are working with
6
the Canadian government in conflict resolution.
7 MS. RENO: Well, one of the reasons --
8
the first time I heard about that meeting, now
9
almost a year ago, was from your Minister of
10 Justice, Alan Roth. And I have been to Ottawa and
11 met with Mr. Gray, the Solicitor
General, and
12 Mr. Roth, the Minister of
Justice. And it was
13 Mr. Roth who told me what native
Americans in
14 Canada were doing, First Nations
in Canada in
15 terms of sentencing circles and
dispute resolution
16 and conflict resolution.
17 I then had the
opportunity to learn what
18 Barry Stuart was doing in the
Yukon. And he told
19 me about this meeting.
20 (Applause)
21 And so, in fact, Canada
has had a great
22 influence on my being here and
has given me a lot
23 of new and wonderful
thoughts. And I have been
24 very appreciative of it.
25 (Applause)
29
1 QUESTION: Good afternoon. My name is
2
Meryl and I am from Seattle.
3 And earlier on in your speech
you asked
4
us if we had any suggestions to help you with what
5
are you doing here and what you are doing in local
6
government and also in Washington, D.C., and
7
what's going on with the FBI and the police and
8
everything.
9 And for me as a youth I feel
that we
10 should bring in conflict
resolution inside of our
11 police force because a lot of
times youth aren't
12 and cops aren't understanding
each other. And
13 also, that a lot of times rookie
cops -- I see
14 this in my city -- rookie cops
have that power
15 trip and they want to feel over
the youth. And
16 they harass us and they don't
talk to us as
17 people.
18 And I feel that youth
and also cops
19 should come together and talk and
have a forum.
20 We have tried this in Seattle and
it's worked
21 somewhat but it's not as
good. And I wish that we
22 would initiate conflict
resolution as a curriculum
23 for the students who are going
into the police
24 force, and that they should learn
how to
25 communicate better with the youth
and also with
30
1
other people of minorities because I see that a
2
lot, especially where I live.
3 (Applause)
4 MS. RENO: That is an excellent idea.
5
And let me tell you, I have seen the other side of
6
the coin because this is one of the areas that
7
we're trying to address in everything that we do
8
in terms of community policing and police
9
training.
10 But to show you what can be done, I
was
11 in Dorchester,
Massachusetts. They had a
12 significant crime problem, a
significant problem
13 with youth violence. And it's now over two years
14 ago. There was a community session ongoing.
15 Community police officers were
there. They were
16 working with churches, with
community activists,
17 trying to really come together to
address the
18 problem of youth violence.
19 And there were two
young men there. And
20 they stood and up they said,
well, we have got a
21 good story to tell you. We were on our way to
22 getting into real trouble. We started getting
23 into some minor trouble and we
were well on our
24 way. But these two guys -- and they pointed
to
25 two uniformed policeman standing
behind them --
31
1
took us down, sat us down, talked to us, talked to
2
us real -- treated us with respect, became our
3
friends. They are our mentors and
we are well on
4
our way to helping other young people to stay out
5
of trouble because of what they have been able to
6
do.
7 One of most moving moments that
I have
8
seen was when those two young men came with those
9
two police officers to the Department of Justice
10 where President Clinton was
visiting and were able
11 to stand there and tell the
President of the
12 United States what two police
officers who
13 understood how important it was
to talk to young
14 people with respect and with
regard, what those
15 two police officers had been able
to do.
16 Now, I don't know
whether those two
17 police officers had had training
in conflict
18 resolution. But I think they and your comments
19 reflect a desperate need, whether
it be teachers,
20 police officers or other people
in authority, we
21 have got to learn to talk with
respect, with
22 regard. And we have got to listen and we have
got
23 to understand the other person's
point of view.
24 I am going to go back
following up on
25 the mediation center to make sure
that we're doing
32
1
everything we can in terms of spreading the word
2
about conflict resolution amongst the police.
3 (Applause)
4 QUESTION: I would just like to say that
5
how is the government giving funding or anything
6
for programs like these in order to like expand
7
them to the society? Because most
of the people
8
don't know about it, like about mediation and
9
everything. We need more
money. Come on. Money
10 is like we need to extend it in
like newspapers,
11 commercials, anything, you know,
because it's like
12 the power of advertising.
13 MS. RENO: We are looking at ways that
14 we can use moneys to prompt and
to educate people
15 about conflict resolution. But let me give you a
16 challenge because I am facing
that challenge.
17 There is something that
is happening
18 that is exciting in the
communities. If you look
19 at history, during the 1930s
there was a very
20 serious depression in this
country. People were
21 very poor. They didn't have very much money and
22 they tended to look to Washington
for the first
23 time for money to solve their problems. And
24 Washington responded and we
slowly began to come
25 out of the depression.
33
1 With World War II people looked
to
2
Washington more often as a place to get problems
3
solved. With the civil rights
efforts of the 50s
4
and 60s people looked to Washington for justice.
5
And in the 70s people looked to Washington for an
6
awful lot of money.
7 And then in 1980 Washington
started
8
shifting the programs to the states.
But it
9
didn't give them any money. And
the states
10 started shifting the programs to
communities and
11 it didn't give them any
money. And then
12 communities in this country, with
their back up
13 against the wall, started coming
together. And
14 instead of everybody competing
for the money they
15 started saying, look, we have got
three different
16 programs. If we bring them together we can avoid
17 duplication and we can make them
work.
18 What we're trying to do
is go to
19 communities and say you
understand your needs and
20 resources better than we do. It may be conflict
21 resolution in one instance; it may
be a program to
22 deal with teen pregnancy in
another instance. We
23 want to work with you and try to
be the best
24 partner we can in getting moneys
to you in ways
25 that count.
34
1 But first of all, you have got
to show
2
that you have eliminated the duplication and that
3
you have brought people together and are working
4
together. And so conflict
resolution is one of
5
the keys to this effort.
6 There is going to be less and
less money
7
as Congress tries to cut back and balance the
8
budget. But we are going to try
to make sure that
9
it's invested as wisely as possible in programs
10 that can invest in our future,
i.e., programs that
11 help build strong and health
youth.
12 (Applause)
13 QUESTION: My name is Lupe Sanchez and
14 I'm from Massachusetts. Up in Massachusetts we
15 got street mediation. We also got school
16 mediation. I think where we was at, we see the
17 street mediation will reach more
people and it
18 would help the communities and
all of that.
19 Now, this program was
working pretty
20 good but the funding -- I guess
every state got a
21 local government or something,
and I guess the
22 local government stopped the
funding and all that.
23 You know, they want this program
to work. They
24 want the mediation to work out
and everything.
25 But then again, they say they
will support us but
35
1
they supported like in the moneywise.
Maybe the
2
funding is kind of hard to get.
3 But this program, the street mediation
4
was really working. And I mean I
remember a
5
couple of cases that I solved in the street there
6
like could have been like 15 people arrested right
7
now. You know what I mean. And other people
8
handled some other mediations, they say.
9 I know some states or other
countries
10 they don't have street mediation,
only schoolwise.
11 I was wondering if like the
street mediation could
12 be more recognized and also the
schools.
13 MS. RENO: Where are you from in
14 Massachusetts?
15 QUESTION: I am from -- I think everyone
16 knows this -- but Greenfield,
around there.
17 MS. RENO: I have a pretty good idea.
18 What I would like you to do is --
where did he go?
19 There he is. That's David Jones over there.
20 Would you give him the details of
the program.
21 The young man from
Bronx, the comments
22 that have been made, one of the
things that is
23 clear to me is that we need to
look at what we can
24 do in the street and in community
centers and in
25 mediation. And so I need to know what was working
36
1
in your area and see what we can do.
Because I
2
think this is a theme that is clearly coming out
3
of your comments today.
4 (Applause)
5 VOICE: We would like to thank the
6
Honorable Attorney General Janet Reno for
7
answering all of our questions -- and there were
8
some good questions -- and taking the time out to
9
be here and coming to talk with us.
And thank you
10 very much.
11 (Applause)
12 VOICE: And on behalf of everyone here
13 at the SPIDR Conference we would
like to present
14 you with this SPIDR
t-shirt.
15 (Applause)
16 And on behalf the
William Jennings
17 Bryant Environments Conflict
Resolution Program in
18 Cleveland, Ohio, we would like to
present with you
19 this Wave t-shirt.
20 (Applause)
21 (At 12:05 p.m., the
meeting was
22 concluded.)
23
24
25
37
1 CERTIFICATE
2
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
3 ) ss.
4
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
5
6 I, DARYL BAUCUM, CSR No. 10356,
a
7
resident of the County of Los Angeles, State of
8
California, declare:
9 That the foregoing proceedings
were
10 taken before me at the time and
place herein set
11 forth, at which time the
aforesaid proceedings
12 were stenographically recorded by
me and
13 thereafter transcribed under my
supervision; and
14 That the foregoing
transcript, as typed,
15 is a true record of the said
proceedings.
16 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I
have subscribed my
17 name this 18th day of October,
1996.
18
19
20
____________________________
21
22 Daryl Baucum, CSR
No. 10356
23
24
25