Dispute Resolution

Community Conflict Resolution Unit

Mission Statement

To promote peaceful relations by assisting communities experiencing fear, conflict, or tensions relating to discriminatory practices, hate incidents, or hate crimes that have a community impact.

What We Do

The Community Conflict Resolution Unit (CCRU) within the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) works with communities, and/or local and state public bodies to constructively manage or resolve conflict, minimize or eliminate the potential for violence, reduce or eliminate antagonism within communities, or help them reach mutually acceptable outcomes. California Government Code 12931

CCRU works closely with stakeholder groups affected by conflict to ensure that solutions include community-driven input. CCRU believes that community collaboration is most effective in addressing concerns related to hate and discrimination-based community conflict.

How We Achieve Our Work

CCRU accomplishes our work by:

• Designing conflict resolution processes
• Facilitating processes to ensure meaningful community engagement
• Mediating conflict
• Providing education and training
• Providing technical consultations

Jurisdiction

CCRU provides assistance only when requested and when initiated due to a hate- or discrimination-related community dispute, disagreement, or difficulty which impairs the rights of persons in those communities under the Constitutions and laws of the United States or California.

Furthermore, CCRU services are made available in cases of these disputes, disagreements, or difficulties only when, in our judgment, peaceful relations among the persons of the community involved are threatened.

Who We Work With

• Community Groups
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Government Agencies
• Schools and School Districts
• Religious Organizations
• Community Advocacy Groups
• Colleges and Universities
• Tribal Groups
• Elected Officials
• Demonstration Groups

Standards of Practice

Impartiality and Neutrality

• CCRU is a neutral, impartial resource for communities experiencing conflict.
• CCRU does not conduct investigations, refer requests to government agencies for enforcement, bring complaints or lawsuits, or develop settlement agreements on behalf of groups requesting our services.

Confidentiality

• CCRU does not share information regarding our work with communities with other parts of CRD. We protect the names of contacts, who prefer to remain anonymous, and other information that might identify groups or individuals who prefer to remain anonymous.
• CCRU does not share names, contacts, or other identifying information with any government departments or agencies.
• CCRU avoids identifying individuals and groups that prefer to remain anonymous in any written records.
• CCRU contacts individuals and communities using the means they prefer to aid in maintaining confidentiality and anonymity.

Cost

There is no cost to request, receive, or participate in services provided by CCRU.

Requesting Assistance

Services may be requested by any person directly affected by a dispute, disagreement, or difficulty relating to discriminatory practices that threaten peaceful relations in the community, or by an appropriate state or local public body.

Contact Us

Email – CCRU@calcivilrights.ca.gov

Mail – Civil Right Department
Attention: Communitity Conflict Resources Unit
651 Bannon Street, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95811

Telephone – Call by using information on our Contact Us page.