RJP Maine is excited to announce that Kyle White, a former resident of the Maine Coastal Regional Reentry Center (MCRRC), has joined the team at RJP Maine.  Kyle was accepted into the Goodwill Industries Job Training Program this past October, while finishing his residency at the MCRRC.  The job training program provides opportunities to learn new job skills with support from Goodwill Workforce Solutions.  This opportunity will help Kyle transition into a Vista Volunteer position at the beginning of December.  Both programs are offered by Goodwill Industries of Northern New England (GWI-NNE).  We are thrilled to have Kyle onboard!- RJP Maine

Hello folks,

My name is Kyle White and I am pleased and excited to be working with RJP Maine this fall. I am  just finishing up an 18-month sentence at the Maine Coastal Regional Reentry Center, which is where my passion for RJP Maine originated. Starting in 2018, with a strong repairing- the- harm circle, I became more deeply moved by the healing circle process. Through the experience of rebuilding a relationship with my grandfather that I thought would never be restored, I realized how powerful the restorative process was, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it going forward. 

A year later, I had the opportunity to co-facilitate the Introduction to Restorative Justice course with Louise at the re-entry center!  I greatly enjoyed teaching and being so involved with my fellow residents from the reentry center. I left the course hopeful to have inspired the guys to repair harms they might have made in their own lives. I have also been a part of other restorative conferences within the Juvenile diversion program.  All of these experiences have taught me so much and I look forward to becoming more involved with the process.

I would like to use my experiences with the criminal justice system, together with my experiences with addiction and recovery to help others in their journey; moving beyond incarceration, poverty and addiction towards freedom, community and recovery. I hope to become an apprentice facilitator in the near future, and eventually a facilitator. I would like to be involved with implementing Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices in schools, as well as becoming involved with youth being released from Long Creek Youth Development Center.  I would like to assist adults being released from reentry and from other Department of Corrections facilities in general. I look forward to being part of the creation of the Waldo County Community Justice Center as it engages communities across Waldo County.

On a personal note, I am 28 years-old, born and raised in the Belfast, Waldo County area, and graduated from Belfast Area High School. I have been painting houses most of my adult life, as well as welding. Currently I am enjoying my part time job with Pinkerton and Sons Disposal. Riding on the truck and throwing trash is actually a blast! I enjoy four wheeling, snowmobiling, driving, walks/runs outside, preferably with a dog, enjoy my time in the gym, hanging out with friends and family and reading. I enjoy working and keeping busy!

I’m grateful to be working with the Restorative Justice Project Maine I’m hoping that this new path will help me continue on my recovery path and reentry. With over a year in recovery, I hope I can support others I interact with to continue moving forward.

​Autumn is an MSW student at the University of Maine, Orono. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Thomas College, also located in Maine. In her free time, Autumn spends as much time as she can outdoors - hiking, fishing, and gardening (just a few of her favorite hobbies). Autumn has lived in Waldo County her whole life and she cherishes the small-town feel that the community holds strongly. Waldo County community members have helped her and her family in a variety of ways throughout her life and Autumn strives to give back and help others while working with RJP Maine. 
 
RJP Maine is so grateful to have Autumn with us; she is not only intelligent and kind, but her empathy runs deep.  She has been and will continue to work closely with Sarah Mattox (RJP Maine Program Manager/ Community Resolution) in a variety of ways such as data management and assisting in organizing training, but Autumn is especially interested community resolution and hopes to become a facilitator or mentor.  

​Did you know, that the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department operates an initiative called the *Alternative Sentencing Program (ASP) for individuals charged with non-violent offenses, such as Operating Under the Influence?
 
The program is offered twice each year.  Rather than serving time in a jail facility, judges can sentence eligible participants to serve their time in a secure group at an alternate location, such as a local camp facility. There, they participate in daily community service and educational programs.  The programming includes a variety of topics, such as addiction recovery, mindfulness, positive choices, and impact on others.  RJP Maine participates in the ASP education program by offering a two-hour segment on restorative justice.  Participants get an introduction to a restorative circle format, an overview of the philosophy of restorative justice and related topics such as growth mindset, and an overview of RJP's work in Lincoln County.
 
"At the end of our time together, we did a round of reflection on what the group found to be interesting takeaways from the ideas of restorative justice.  The concept of shame versus guilt came up several times, as well as growth mindset.  Wrestling with "I did something wrong" (guilt) versus "I am wrong" (shame) seemed like useful concepts -- along with the idea of growth mindset, that mistakes literally make our brain grow, and we actually need mistakes in life to learn and grow.​"- RJP Maine Facilitator, Leigh Anne
 
For more information call 207-922-3898
 
*ASP used to be run by Maine Pretrial and was run in multiple sites and formats around the state.  However last year, Maine Pretrial decided to give it up and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department took it on.

Penny Linn became involved with the Restorative Justice   Project Maine in 2009 after retiring from Winslow Middle   School as a guidance counselor. Bringing her sense of       adventure, get it done attitude Penny engaged in all facets   of  the organizations work throughout her time as a school   trainer and board member.
 
Penny was introduced to RJP Maine while at Winslow Junior High School (WJHS) when Margaret Micolichek, representing the Restorative Practices Collaborative of Maine was invited by Penny to discuss what it would take to bring restorative practices into the school. Her goal was to offer training to teachers on circle practices that focused on relationships with students as well as between students in the classrooms and beyond. In addition, she worked with the administrative disciplinary team to implement restorative interventions to better support students through difficult times, provide learning opportunities and avoid suspension or expulsion.
 
Shortly after her retirement, Penny joined the Restorative Practices Collaborative of Maine as a trainer. As a member she was invaluable, she understood circle practice and could speak to the struggle of changing school culture to becoming more restorative. She trained with the team for about three years. In the spring of 2011, most likely on the tennis court, Penny was recruited by Jay Davis (her tennis buddy and former member of the RJP Maine board) to join the RJP Maine’s Board of Directors.
 
As a board member Penny was someone who got things done. She liked it when decisions were made and things could move forward. Never wanting to be the fundraising board member she used her networks to support the organizations through thick and thin times. Her commitment and generosity shone throughout her 9-year tenure with the board. 
 
Penny, although not far from us will be greatly missed at the table and in those board meetings!
 
Travel far and wide Penny, wishing you all the best! 

The images below were taken in Swanville, ME., at RJP Maine's appreciation circle for Penny!  Penny was gifted a talking piece, a driftwood etching of an owl created by a local artist.  

​"Our family started using community building circles and harm repair circles a few months ago and it has helped us in many ways. Our family includes my husband, our 5 yr. old son and my 13 yr. old stepson. We started by using a harm repair circle because communication was lost between all family members, people were misunderstanding, feeling unheard or blaming one another. The circle allowed all family members to be heard, talk from personal experience, listen to how others were feeling, know the impact of our actions and take responsibility. Since our family had its first circle there has been open communication, more understanding and accountability from all family members. We have a community building circle every weekend that helps us connect with each other and support one another. If there is a problem within our family system, the first thing we do is have a circle, so we can get to the root of the problem. I know that our circles help our family and strengthen our bond with one another. We will continue to use circles for as long as we can to keep our communication open and strengthen our family."

To learn more about Community Building Circles (we have a sample script for you to use, as well!), click on the button below.

RJP Maine began two rounds of the UMaine Certificate Foundations Training in August without a hitch! Foundations course participants- past and present -are picking up what RJP Maine is trying to put down; restorative practices are not only for young people who have caused harm, but are practices that start with each of us and our committment to a restorative mindset and adopting these practices personally. Foundations course graduates are applying what they have learned not only to agency, organization, or school based work, but to their personal lives as well. We are seeing some exciting and important shifts happening in and after UMaine Foundations training and are feeling encouraged to know we will be able to offer a very similar training to our current volunteers, staff, and board this fall.

Below is is a compilation drawing of our Foundations trainees favorite places, created by our very own RJ Coordinator, Louise Marks.

RJP Maine wecomes our newest trainees to the RJP Maine community!

County Coordinators with RJPM have been rocking and rolling throughout COVID, despite changes, challenges, and adjustments.

When COVID hit the U.S., Maine courts suddenly closed in March and stayed closed through June.  The spring felt like an adjustment period across the country, a dormancy, but we knew that it was also a time when families could be most struggling.  Here in Lincoln County, we stayed in contact with youth, families, and volunteers throughout the months, making sure folks knew about Lincoln County Food Initiative and other resources as needs arose.

In the meantime, we met over Zoom, or stayed in touch with phone calls, emails, and texts.  One mentoring pair, often with me included, met weekly over Zoom.  We talked about animals, biking, food we loved, and more.  We kept each other going when we could have been isolated.  Our Lincoln County volunteer group met regularly over Zoom, hosting guests we might never have had if commute time had been an issue.  We held conversations about Nonviolent Communication, restorative practices in schools, addiction supports in the county, and more, all sparked by hosting outside speakers.

When courts opened in July, staff went back in -- with our masks on and hand sanitizer by our side.  For volunteers, RJPM's policy now allowed us to meet with distancing and masks, so our creativity in meetings expanded to even more flexible options.  One youth and mentor pair did community service on town hiking trails.  As new cases came in, we held circles and meetings in parks, on bleachers, and over Zoom.  We continue to partner with other stakeholders, community members, and organizations so that youth and families are supported by many voices and many angles of service, laughing together as well as chewing on how to meet challenges -- never losing that human touch to the work we do, whether in person or online.

Our need to stay connected has been even stronger during this time, not lagging.  Now more than ever, our work has deep meaning and value -- even if our means of connection take on greater creativity, and even if our circles are in the most unexpected of places. 

Alright. With an extremely heavy heart, here we go...

We've had a few days to process and tonight in Belfast, as we stand alongside so many others in grief and gratitude, we will honor the life of Jesse Harvey whose death on Monday is being considered an overdose. 

Jesse was known by many as having both struggled and succeeded throughout his young life. Among his many accomplishments, he stablished Journey House as one of the first recovery residences in Maine to accept people using medication assisted treatment. Jesse also founded the Church of Safe Injection in 2018 after being disheartened by the lack of needle exchange programs in the state. Per a 2019 Portland Press Herald news story, Jesse's goal in starting the program was to "reduce diseases caused by sharing needles, and to provide drug users with sterile syringes and the overdose reversing drug Narcan until they are able to get into a recovery program." Jesse also founded the Portland Overdose Prevention Society. April Turner, a social worker and candidate for the Maine House of Representatives District 99, wrote of Jesse, "he wanted to bring so much change and understanding for those affected by substance use disorders. He wanted to educate those that sought to be part of the much needed change. He wanted, and most certainly did, change the lives of everyone who met him." 

Although Jesse actively struggled with his own sobriety, he never hid his experience using or his struggles with additction and many would say that out of those struggles came his success and his legacy. 

Jesse fundatmentally believed in showing care, concern and compassion for marginalized and dis-empowered people.  It is imperative that we as a society understand that addiction is a disease. It is imperative that we respect it as such and advocate for treatment. It is imperative that we respect the people who are fighting for their lives.  We must do all that we can as a community to show up for them regardless of where they are in their fight. 

A celebration of Jesse's life will be held at 6pm Sept 19th on the Eastern Promenade in Portland. 

Tonight, in Belfast at the First Church (8 Court Street), from 6-7pm, join the community in vigil, honoring the lives lost to overdost, share the grief as well as the hope.