Abstract
The premise of this article is that organizations need to be “organized” differently if we want to re-invigorate the power of community in contemporary life. A central theme within the current reform movement toward restorative justice is the devolution of authority from formal governmental systems to community. In order to effectively socialize young people, communities and families must perform certain functions well. As more and more societal activities take place within organizations, we face the dilemma that the weakened communities create a demand for increasing involvement of public organizations in the life of the community. Yet modern organizations do not effectively perform functions unique to families and communities. Drawing on insights from a unique community-system partnership in restorative peacemaking circles, this paper argues we may need to reinvent our organizations so that they learn to behave as members of the community.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bazemore, G., and S. O'Brien. (2004). “A New Era in Governmental Reform: Realizing Community.” Public Organization Review 4, 205–219.
Bazemore, G., and M. Schiff. (1996). “Community Justice/Restorative Justice: Prospects for a New Social Ecology for Community Corrections.” International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice 20(2), 311–335.
Bazemore, G., and M. Schiff. (2001). Restorative Community Justice. Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing Co.
Boyes-Watson, C. (1999). “In the Belly of the Beast? Exploring the Dilemmas of State-Sponsored Restorative Justice.” Contemporary Justice Review 2(3), 261–281.
Boyes-Watson, C. (2002). “Healing the Wounds of Street Violence.” Community Youth Development Journal 4(2), 16–21.
Boyes-Watson, C. (2004). “What are the Implications of Growing State Involvement in Restorative Justice?” In H. Zehr, and B. Toews (eds.), Critical Issues in Restorative Justice. Monsey, NY: Criminal Justice Press, pp. 215–228.
Boyes-Watson, C. (2005). “Seeds of Change: Using Peacemaking Circles to Build a Village for Every Child.” Child Welfare: Journal of Policy, Practice and Program 2, 191–208.
Braithwaite, J. (2002). Restorative Justice and Responsive Regulation. New York: Oxford University Press.
Braithwaite, J. (2003). “Restorative Justice and Corporate Regulation.” In E. Weitkaamp, and H.J. Kerner (eds.), Restorative Justice in Context: International Practice and Directions. Portland: Willan Publishers.
Burford, G., and P. Adams. (2004). “Restorative Justice, Responsive Regulation, and Social Work.” Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare 31(1), 7–26.
Burford, G., and J. Pennell. (1994). “Family Group Decision Making: An Innovation in Child and Family Welfare.” Paper presented at the National Research and Policy Symposium on Child Welfare, Kananaskis.
Burger, J. (1994). “Keys to Survival: Highlights in Resilience Research.” Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Problems 3(2), 6–10.
Carey, M. (2001). “Infancy, Adolescence, and Restorative Justice: Strategies for Promoting Organizational Reform.” In G. Bazemore, and M. Schiff (eds.), Restorative Community Justice: Repairing Harm and Transforming Communities. Cincinnati: Anderson.
Coleman, J.S. (1982). The Asymmetric Society. New York: Syracuse University Press.
Coleman, J.S. (1988). “Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital.” American Journal of Sociology 94, 95–120.
Crawford, A., and T. Clear. (2001). “Community Justice: Transforming Communities through Restorative Justice?” In G. Bazemore, and M. Schiff (eds.), Restorative Community Justice: Repairing Harm and Transforming Communities. Cincinnati: Anderson.
Daly, Kathleen, and R. Immarigeon. (1998). “The Past, Present and Future of Restorative Justice: Some Critical Reflections.” Contemporary Justice Review 1, 21–45.
Etizioni, A. (1996). The New Golden Rule: Community and Morality in a Democratic Society. New York: Basic Books.
Fukuyama, F. (2004). “The Contours of Remoralization.” In A. Etizioni, A. Volmert, and E. Rothschild (eds.), The Communitarian Reader: Beyond the Essentials. New York: Rowman and Littlefield, pp. 105–110.
Garbarino, J., and D. Sherman. (1980). “High Risk Neighborhoods and High-Risk Families: The Human Ecology of Child Maltreatment.” Child Development 51, 188–198.
Garland, David. (2001). The Culture of Control: Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Hawken, P., A. Louis, and C.H. Louis. (1999). Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution. New York: Little Brown and Co.
Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House.
Kotter, J.P. (2001). “What Leaders Really Do.” Harvard Business Review, 79(11), 37–60.
Loschnig-Gspandl, M. (2003). “Corporations, Crime and Restorative Justice.” In E. Weitkaamp, and H. J. Kerner (eds.), Restorative Justice in Context: International Practice and Directions. Portland: Willian, pp. 145–160.
McCold, P., and B. Wachtel. (1998). “Community is Not a Place: A New Look at Community Justice Initiatives.” Contemporary Justice Review 1(1), 71–85.
McKnight, J. (1995). The Careless Society: Community and Its Counterfeits. New York: Basic Books.
Merkel-Holguin, L. (2004). “Sharing Power with the People: Family Group Conferencing as Democratic Experiment.” Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare 31(1), 155–173.
Meyer, J. (2002). “It is a Gift from the Creator to Keep us in Harmony: Original (Versus Alternative) Dispute Resolution on the Navajo Nation.” International Journal of Public Administration 25, 1379–1401.
Morrison, B. (2001). “The School System: Developing Its Capacity in the Regulation of Civil Society.” In H. Strang, and J. Braithwaite (eds.), Restorative Justice and Civil Society. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Pavlich, G. (2001). “The Force of Community.” In H. Strang, and J. Braithwaite (eds.), Restorative Justice and Civil Society. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Pranis, K. (2001). “Restorative Justice, Social Justice and the Empowerment of Marginalized Populations.” In G. Bazemore, and M. Schiff (eds.), Restorative Community Justice: Repairing Harm and Transforming Communities. Cincinnati: Anderson.
Pranis, K., B. Stuart, and M. Wedge. (2003). Peacemaking Circles: From Crime to Community. St.Paul, MN: Living Justice Press.
Putnam, R. (1995). “Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital.” Journal of Democracy. 6, 64–78.
Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Carmichael, CA: Touchstone Books.
Runyan, D.K. (1998). “Children Who Prosper in Unfavorable Environments: The Relationship to Social Capital,” Pediatrics 101, 12–18.
Saleeby, D. (1992). The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice. New York: Longman.
Sampson, R.J., S. Raudenbush, and F. Earls. (1997). “Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy.” Science 277, 918–924.
Scheff, T.J. (1994). Bloody Revenge: Emotions, Nationalism and War. Boulder CO: Westview Press.
Selznick, Philip. 2004. “On a Communitarian Faith.” In A. Etizioni, A. Volmert, and E. Rothschild (eds.), The Communitarian Reader: Beyond the Essentials. New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
Senge, P. (1990). The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday.
Senge, P., A. Kleiner, C. Roberts, R. Ross, G. Roth, and B. Smith. (1999). The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations. New York: Doubleday.
Van Ness, D., and K. Strong. (2002). Restoring Justice. Cincinnati: Anderson.
Warren, M. (2001). Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Wolfe, A. (2004). “Developing Civil Society: Can the Workplace Replace Bowling?” In A. Etizioni, A. Volmert, and E. Rothschild (eds.), The Communitarian Reader: Beyond the Essentials. New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
Yazzie, R. (1994). “Life Comes From It: Navajo Justice Concepts.” New Mexico Law Review, 24, 175–190.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
1This apt phrase and fundamental insight about the meaning of community came from the seminal article by Paul McCold and Benjamin Wachtel (1998).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boyes-Watson, C. Community is not a Place but a Relationship1: Lessons for Organizational Development. Public Organiz Rev 5, 359–374 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-005-5096-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-005-5096-5