In 2004, Judge Mary Helen Maley Maynard (Santa Cruz County Justice Court), in collaboration with Dr. Linda Mills (New York University’s Center on Violence and Recovery), decided to develop a program that would meet the needs of underserved family violence victims in Santa Cruz County in a holistic, culturally sensitive manner.
Maley convened a diverse group of fifty community leaders from law enforcement, health, social services, and faith based communities to craft a program. The result was the establishment of Circles of Peace.
Since its inception, Circles of Peace has implemented a broad range of proven restorative justice strategies such as peacemaking talking circles, restorative community building, training, and trauma-informed care.
Utilizing restorative justice practices has allowed Circles of Peace to create systems that address community harms in the courtroom, in the classroom, within families, and in the community.
