Non-Violent Communication

A while back I had the idea to offer peer services to inmates. As there is a prevalence of mental illness in jail I thought it would be a great venue to attack recidivism. I had this idea on the back burner for a while, until recently. Only a couple of days ago I was talking with a new friend and we got on the topic of what each of us does. I mentioned my idea of the peer-inmate-outreach program that I want to start up.
I have since that conversation decided to take on the task of offering peer services to inmates in the next year. The blog work is slowing down and so I feel like I need a new project to sink my teeth into. I started my work on the project by listing themes that might be useful in facilitating groups of inmates. I immediately thought of teaching non-violence.
I recently learned of a means to conflict resolution called non-violent communication. A friend told me that there was a non-violent communication group being held at a tea lounge in Brattleboro, where I live.I am now motivated to get this peer-inmate-outreach initiative going. And so I did some research on this topic of non-violent communication.
I have learned that non-violent communication was invented by a man named Marshal Rosenberg in the 1960's. It is already being implemented in the corrections system and also with the mentally ill. I am not sure however, if it has been used in peer mentoring offered to inmates as I would like to see. The thought of non-violent communication is that all people have the capacity for compassion. That all acts are to fulfill a need. And that conflict arises from miscommunication that induces fear, guilt or shame. Marshal Rosenbers book on the subject of non-violent communication is available on Amazon.