On April 14th 2010 Join us for the CRC's Friends of the Center Speaker Series Event

One Father's Journey to Forgiveness: Serious Crimes Conferencing in Maryland with Bernard Williams & Lauren Abramson April 14th, 2010 from 7:00-9:00 PM Location to be announced Fifteen years after the murder of his son, Bernard Williams wanted to meet and talk with the man responsible. Through the Serious Crimes Conferencing program at the Community Conferencing Center, Mr. Williams was able to meet twice with William Norman. On April 14th, Bernard Williams will share his reasons for wanting to meet with Mr. Norman, and the impact it has had on his life. Lauren Abramson, Executive Director of the Community Conferencing Center, and Facilitator of the Serious Crimes Conferences, will share how this innovative Serious Crimes Conferencing program began in Maryland and the impact it has had on those who participate, including victims, offenders, their families, and corrections workers. In addition Lauren will discuss how Serious Crimes Conferencing compares with Victim Offender Mediation, a similar practice. Bernard Williams was born and raised in Baltimore, served in the military, and has several years experience working in government agencies. Bernard is a fervent advocate of positive opportunities for young people, especially with regards to civil life and education. He continues to live in Baltimore, and enjoys spending time with his grown children, and plays an active role in raising his grandchildren. Lauren Abramson is a psychologist who has worked with children and families in communities for the past 25 years. She is the founder of the Community Conferencing Center in Baltimore. She advances conferencing as a means of empowering individuals and communities to resolve their own conflicts, keeping young people out of the criminal justice system, and mobilizing the existing untapped human assets in communities. Lauren publishes articles on both the theoretical and empirical socio-political aspects of conferencing. The work of the Community Conferencing Center is groundbreaking for its multi-sector use of conferencing in highly distressed urban American communities.