Conflict Assistance Program

The Burlington Community Justice Center's Conflict Assistance Program (CAP) enables people, who are experiencing conflict in their neighborhoods or personal and professional lives, to get assistance to prevent those conflicts from escalating to the attention of the police or courts. In addition, the CAP enables people who are not involved with the criminal legal system to take more control of their safety and well-being and that of their families, roommates, neighbors, friends, and colleagues, through participation in educational and skill-building workshops around conflict engagement.
The CAP educates and provides Burlington youth and adults with a body of culturally specific tools and resources that build on the BCJC’s work in restorative justice and conflict resolution. Alongside concrete skill building and support, this program involves cultural competence, facilitation skills, promoting creative problem solving, and teaching communication skills that minimize aggressive ways of resolving conflict. With JAG funding, the CAP program will reach 80 individuals in conflict skill building workshops and serve 35 people in direct conflict assistance cases that involve coaching and/or mediation.