Frequently Asked Questions

CRS is a component within DOJ. For over 60 years, CRS’s focus has been to promote peace by assisting communities experiencing conflict and violence. Guided by federal laws establishing jurisdictions, CRS focuses on restoring peaceful relations among communities by helping them to overcome differences and build the skills needed to prevent future disputes. CRS often responds to communities shaken by mass violence, civil disorder, and other critical incidents and offers neutral and impartial conciliation through mediation, facilitated dialogues, training, and consultation. CRS is not an investigatory or prosecutorial agency and does not have any law enforcement authority. All CRS services are confidential and provided on a voluntary basis, free of charge to the communities.

To accomplish its mission, CRS provides four services: facilitated dialogue, mediation, training, and consultation. These services help communities enhance their ability to alleviate tension, resolve disputes, and prevent future conflicts more effectively. CRS’s services are an integral part of the community programs and forums we offer. These programs and forums provide the community a place to discuss and confront issues underlying the conflict and tensions within their community.

CRS's services are provided by highly trained, impartial conflict resolution experts, known as Conciliation Specialists, who are based in field offices across the country. CRS's services can be provided, as requested, on a 24-hour basis. In each incident, CRS first assesses the situation by determining what tensions or issues may be present in a community. This often includes meeting face-to-face with the affected community groups. After gaining an in-depth understanding of the situation, and establishing whether CRS has jurisdiction, CRS works with the parties to determine the actions or services necessary. CRS provides services which fall into four categories — facilitated dialogue, mediation, training, and consultation — with the goal of helping communities alleviate tensions, resolve disputes, and prevent future conflicts more effectively.

Typically, local officials or community leaders request CRS’s services by contacting the field office that supports their state; however, any community member can request CRS’s services. Contact information for the field offices can be found here. On its own volition, CRS may also reach out to communities in conflict and offer services; however, communities may decline CRS's services at any time.

CRS works in all 50 states and United States territories. It assists communities large, small, rural, suburban, and urban. Much of CRS’s work stems from requests by local law enforcement, community leaders, school administrators, civil rights organizations, religious and tribal leaders, government officials, and other local and state authorities.