Community Relations Service U.S. Department of Justice

About the Community Relations Service

The Community Relations Service (CRS), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, is the Federal government's "peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, and national origin. CRS was created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is the only Federal component dedicated to assist State and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing and resolving racial and ethnic tensions, conflicts, and civil disorders, with the intent of restoring racial stability and harmony.

For 40 years, CRS has been asked to provide its experienced mediators to help local communities settle destructive conflicts and disturbances relating to race, color, or national origin. Each year CRS' highly skilled conciliators bring hundreds of community-wide conflicts to peaceful closure in every State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. territories.

CRS lends its services when requested or accepted by the parties. The Service uses impartial mediation practices and conflict resolution procedures to help local leaders resolve problems and restore stability. CRS has no law enforcement authority and does not impose solutions, investigate, prosecute, or assign blame and fault. All CRS mediators are required by law to conduct their activities in confidence, without publicity, and are prohibited from disclosing confidential information.

CRS conciliators work with State and local officials and community leaders to provide a wide variety of services to address racial issues and prevent violence. CRS' services include:

• Contributing expertise and guidance on methods and policies that calm racial tensions and conflicts.
  
  
• Enhancing strategies of State and local governments and community groups to prevent and respond to civil disorders.
  
  
• Improving lines of communication between parties experiencing racial tension or conflict, including Federal, State, and local officials, community leaders and residents.
  
  
• Helping schools and universities effectively deal with incidents of racial tensions or violence.

 

www.usdoj.gov/crs

 

CRS OFFICES

Community Relations Service 600 E Street, NW, Suite 6000 Washington, D.C. 20530 202/305-2935 202/305-3009 (FAX) Regional Offices New England Regional Office (ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI) Community Relations Service 408 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 222 Boston, MA 02110 617/424-5715 617/424-5727 (FAX) Northeast Regional Office (NY, NJ, VI, PR) Community Relations Service 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 36-118 New York, NY 10278 212/264-0700 212/264-2143 (FAX) Mid-Atlantic Regional Office ( DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV) Community Relations Service 2nd and Chestnut Streets, Suite 208 Philadelphia, PA 19106 215/597-2344 215/597-9148 (FAX) Southeast Regional Office (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN) Community Relations Service 75 Piedmont Ave, NE, Suite 900 Atlanta, GA 30303 404/331-6883 404/331-4471 (FAX) Midwest Regional Office (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) Community Relations Service 55 W. Monroe Street, Suite 420 Chicago. IL 60603 312/353-4391 312/353-4390 (FAX) Southwest Regional Office (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) Community Relations Service 1420 W. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 250 Dallas, TX 75247 214/655-8175 214/655-8184 (FAX)

Central Regional Office (IA, KS, MO, NE) Community Relations Service 1100 Main Street, Suite 320 Kansas City, MO 64105-2112 816/426-7434 816/426-7441 (FAX) Rocky Mountain Regional Office (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) Community Relations Service 1244 Speer Blvd., Suite 650 Denver, CO 80204-3584 303/844-2973 303/844-2907 (FAX) Western Regional Office (AZ, CA, GU, HI, NV) Community Relations Service 888 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 1880 Los Angeles, CA 90017 213/894-2941 213/894-2880 (FAX) Northwest Regional Office (AK, ID, OR, WA) Community Relations Service 915 Second Avenue, Suite 1808 Seattle, WA 98174 206/220-6700 206/220-6706 (FAX) Field Offices Community Relations Service 51 SW First Ave, Suite 624 Miami, FL 33130 305/536-5206 305/536-6778 (FAX) Community Relations Service 211 W. Fort Street, Suite 1404 Detroit, MI 48226 313/226-4010 313/226-2568 (FAX) Community Relations Service 515 Rusk Avenue, Suite 12605 Houston, TX 77002 713/718-4861 713/718-4862 (FAX) Community Relations Service 120 Howard Street, Suite 790 San Francisco, CA 94105 415/744-6565 415/744-6590 (FAX)

CRS Customer Service Standards Our goal is to provide sensitive and effective conflict prevention and resolution services. CRS will meet the following standards: • We will clearly explain the process that CRS uses to address racial and ethnic conflicts and our role in that process. • We will provide opportunities for all parties involved to contribute to and work toward a solution to the racial or ethnic conflict. • If you are a participant in a CRS training session or conference, you will receive timely and useful information and materials that will assist you in preventing or minimizing racial and ethnic tensions. • We will be prepared to respond to major racial or ethnic crisis situations within 24 hours from the time when your community notifies CRS or CRS becomes aware of the crisis. • In non-crisis situations, we will contact you within three days of when your community notifies CRS to discuss your request or when CRS becomes aware of the situation.

www.usdoj.gov/crs