Community Relations Service

The Community Relations Service (CRS), a component of the Department of Justice (DOJ), serves as “America’s Peacemaker” for communities in conflict by mediating disputes and enhancing community capacity to independently prevent and resolve future conflicts.

Less than half of all Hate Crimes are reported.

About 48% of all Hate Crimes are motivated by racial bias.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Special Report Hate Crime Victimization 2004-2015

Our Focus

CRS is the only federal agency dedicated to working with community groups to resolve community conflicts and prevent and respond to alleged hate crimes arising from differences of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability.

Our Work

CRS provides facilitation, mediation, training, and consultation services that improve communities’ abilities to problem solve and build capacity to prevent and respond to conflict, tension, and hate crimes based on race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. CRS provides programs designed to strengthen community and law enforcement partnerships, as well as school-based programs that improve problem solving between students. The goals of all CRS programs are to help parties in conflict learn about different perspectives, share information about resources and best practices, and support communities as they identify and implement solutions. While some CRS programs may be designed for a particular audience, most programs can be tailored to a specific audience or setting.

OUR WORK

Our Stakeholders

CRS assists state and local governments, private and public organizations, educational organizations, law enforcement, tribal communities, and community groups in resolving conflicts based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability.