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~I .- IL Seeking Peaceful Alternatives Six mediation programs in the state are working to empower people involved in disputes to solve their own problems and accept personal responsibility. By Ellie M. Bayrd During a school lunch hour. three upperclassmen join forces to embar- rass younger students. Food trays are "accidentally" spilled and the victims' clothes and books are damaged. The vicnmscomplain ofracilll bias andfeel hurt. A neighborhood struggles withzon- ing issues, disgruntled that a business has been built despite their concerns. The neighborhood residents complain that their grievances have been ig- nored. In both of the above examples, the victims called law enforcement and the case was referred to Mediation Ser- vices for Anoka. Instead of law en- forcement or the courts placing legal restrictions on the victims or offenders, the groups Were able to discuss their positions in the presence of mediators and come to mutually agreeable solu- tions. In the case of the school bullies, fears afracial bias and retaliation were put to rest and letters of apology were honded out. The offenders also learned the impact of their actions. In the case of the neighborhood squabble, the par- ticipants found a way to communicate and made a plan for how to handle future issues. A Voluntary Process According to the description shared by ~e Minnesota Association of Com- munity Mediation Programs on the 20th anniversary of mediation service in Min- nesota: "'Mediation is a voluntary pro- cess that provides an opportunity for participants to meet in a safe environ- ment.with an impartial mediator and work toward a satisfactory resolution of the issues without the additional time and expense involved in litiga- tion. The mediator does not decide the outcome, but rather assists panies in reachingtheirownagreementinamanner 14/MINNESOTA POLICE CHIEF II Beth Bailey-Allen, executive di- rector, North Hennepin Media- tion Program. that best meets their needs." Mediation first became a popular conecept in the 1970s, and since 1982. when the idea took off in Minnesota. six mediation programs have been formed: Mediation Services for Anoka County (MSAC), North Hennepin Me- diation Program (NHMP), Alterna- tive Dispute Resolution Services in Olmsted County (ADRS). Dispute Resolution Center (DRe) in the East Metro, Minneapolis Mediation Pro- gram. and Rice County Dispute Reso- lution Program. The caseload is heavy and 'con- stant. At any given time. says Beth Bailey-Allen, executive director of North Hennepin Mediation Program. their mediators are covering 50 cases; they handle approximately 15,000 cases a year. Minneapolis Mediation Program, says Executive Director Michele Gullickson Moore. worked 1,673 cases last year (389 commu- nity cases and 1.284 court cases). "We expect a 10 percent increase again this year;' she says. Director Edwardo Wolle of Rice County Dispute Resolution Center notes that his program worksapproxi- Ann Wallerstedt, executive di- rector, Mediation Services for Anoka County. mately 100 cases a year. "Our vol- ume of caSes is smaller compared to our counterparts since we are in a rural county outside the Twin Cities." Kinds of Conflicts Thesixstatewidemediation programs . differ in their categorization of media- tiOD cases, but they are similar in the kinds of conflict they include. In each program. however. certain cases have a higherpercentageofreferrsl.RiceColDlly, for instance) handles more reported fU- ral problems than Hennepin County. Mediation ServicesforAnokaCounty has three categories of service: commu- nity, family visitation, shared parenting and expediting, and victim-offender. North Hennepin Mediation Program's breakdown of non-court mediations in 2002 came to: 20 percent neighbor. W percentpost-divorce,17percentschooll juvenile, 16 percentbusinesslconsumer, 13 percent landlordlteaant, 12 pen:ent family~interpersonal. and 2 percent employer. Bailey-Allen says North Hennepin Mediation Program'snumberof school cases has been growing steadily. Many of these cases an:: referred directly by II