This year the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) announces the formation of the taskforce on safety in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Under the leadership of former ACR president Marya Kolman and current ACR president Cheryl Jamison, I have been appointed chair of this taskforce. Fellow members of the taskforce include active duty and retired FBI crisis negotiators, professional mediators, judges and court administrators.
Announcing The Association for Conflict Resolution Taskforce on Safety in ADR
The mission of this task force is to investigate, deliberate, and recommend best practices for keeping conflict resolvers and their parties safe during conflict resolution processes. Particular emphasis will be given to risk reduction and safety planning measures conflict resolution practitioners could implement to greatly improve their immediate physical safety.
Currently the taskforce is seeking examples of violent incidents that have taken place prior to, during or after an ADR process. These examples will be used to inform the taskforce’s recommendations on physical security and safety planning. If you have any information that you are willing to share about such incidents, please feel free to post them to the comments sections of this post. You can submit posts anonymously with personal information redacted in part or in its entirety.