Transformative Justice Committee

About the Transformative Justice Committee

Graph with Accountability on one side and support on the other emphasizing that restorative justice includes both accountability AND support

The Transformative Justice Committee (TJC) was established in 2020 to help VFP develop a more just and equitable process of accountability. Since then, the TJC has been building our knowledge about TJ practices and has conducted workshops and listening sessions with members - most recently during our 2021 VFP Convention.

Veterans For Peace is also committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). In 2021 the Board of Directors approved a DEI audit of the organization to ensure that our community is a strengths empowering organization where all Veterans who believe in peace and social justice are welcomed. This process is still ongoing and we will be providing updates.

What are the benefits of restorative practices?

Restorative practices have many benefits—to individuals, to communities, and to our world:

Image with benefits Listed: Building and strengthening relationships, Repairing harm done to individuals, relationships and communities, Restoring peace to families and communities, Reducing violence, Promoting healing.

What does the Restorative Justice Process and Circle look like for VFP?

On the surface, restorative practices work in a very simple way: by bringing people together to talk and to share their stories. Before conflicts arise or harm is done, restorative practices make it possible for people to build relationships.

The sense of community this interaction creates helps to prevent problems—and makes it easier to resolve them if they do occur. It is extremely important to emphasize that the restorative justice process is completely voluntary and emphasizes empathy and compassion for all who participate.

After an instance of harm is presented, the TJC will reach out to individuals who are impacted and see if they are willing to participate in the process. If enough people are willing to participate, a Zoom or hybrid circle will be scheduled. The circle will provide a safe place for everyone to feel heard, the harm to be recognized, people's experiences to be validated, and decide steps to heal the harm. This process will be as confidential as possible, respecting the privacy of all participants and will be closed to those not directly impacted by the events.

Community Building Circles

One of the methods used by restorative practices are community building circles. This is a process of bringing people together, giving equal opportunities to share stories, experiences, hopes, and concerns. This can be both a vulnerable and rewarding process; allowing people to feel heard and validated in their experiences.

These circles are led by a facilitator who designs questions that are answered by all participants without interruption while participants actively listen to each other.

By creating a process that is voluntary—and by using methods that reduce anxieties for all participants—restorative practices work in situations that might otherwise be out of reach.

Restorative practices are proven tools for helping people to listen, to talk—and to understand.

Confidentiality and Privacy

All information shared with the Transformative Justice Committee will be treated as confidential, including the fact that the person reached out to us, and will not be shared externally to the committee without permission.

This confidentiality agreement will extend to any restorative justice based gathering(s), such as a community circle, with information being shared staying within the circle gathered - unless permission is granted to share information (e.g., for a community statement on lessons learned).

Exception: The Board of Directors is obliged by our bylaws to divulge the names of members removed from the organization during the next annual meeting. In this circumstance, the Board of Directors is only obligated to divulge the name of the person expelled and not the name of the person(s) raising the original complaint(s) that led to the expulsion.

Steps to Mitigate Punitive Actions

Meeting 1-on-1 with a TJC Champion;
Requesting education and/or therapeutic participation;
Asking individuals to take a voluntary period of time off from VFP for a cooling off period;
Refer the individual to the Board of Directors for next steps with notification to member regarding risk of suspension or expulsion if unwilling to step back and commit to TJ work;
Member Suspension*: Requiring individuals to take a mandatory period of time off from VFP to work on themselves so that they can re-enter the organization in a healthier position;
Member Expulsion*: If the above interventions are unsuccessful, that individual will be expelled from the organization.

*The Board of Directors are allowed to suspend or expel members who act in a manner that is harmful and/or unbecoming the organization, per our Bylaws. These steps will be taken as an intervention of last resort, barring instances so extreme that they are not appropriate for TJC processes.

How to Access These Circles

In order to be as accessible as possible, the TJC has their own email at tjc@veteransforpeace.org.

If you or your chapter has recently experienced an instance of harm or tension please contact the TJC via email with a brief description of the issue and people involved.

TJC members will contact those involved and determine if people are willing to participate in the circle process. A time will be scheduled at the easiest convenience for everyone involved.

Committee Members:

Elliott Adams
Natasha Erskine
Adrienne Kinne
Jeremiah Knowles
Garett Reppenhagen
Barry Riesch
Susan Schnall
Jules Vaquera

Additional Reading & Resources

VFP Code of Conduct

We will use our anger at injustice as a positive, nonviolent force for change.
We will approach every encounter, with fellow members and the public, with positivity and mindfulness, and with the assumption that concerns raised are coming from a positive place and present a learning opportunity.
Our attitude, as conveyed through our words, symbols and actions, will be one of openness, friendliness, and respect toward all people we encounter.
All members have an important role to play within Veterans For Peace, regardless of previous military rank, branch, or combat experience. We will respect one another as equal parts of a whole.
We will not assault, verbally, in person or online, anyone, to include fellow members and those who oppose or disagree with us, even if they assault us. This does not preclude a member’s right to defend him or herself against a physical attack.
In keeping with our commitment to achieving our goals through non-violent means, there is an expectation that members will not carry weapons with them to VFP events or while representing VFP, regardless of the laws in their location.
We will follow the directions of the designated coordinators during public actions organized on behalf of VFP.
We will use democratic principles within our organization to ensure an open, fair, inclusive, and transparent environment.
We will speak as members of VFP but not for VFP, unless designated as a spokesperson for VFP. All members are free to speak for themselves or on behalf of their chapter as appropriate.
Sexist, racist, homophobic, ageist, transphobic, gender discriminatory, and all other discriminatory language and actions are common within the military; they are not acceptable within VFP.
Our words and actions will maintain the political and financial independence of VFP.
To achieve the above goals, we will also engage in 'active listening,' that is fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively 'hearing' the message of the speaker.