Huikahi Restorative Circles: Group Process for Self-Directed Reentry Planning and Family Healing

Abstract

The Huikahi Restorative Circle is a reentry planning group process that addresses individual incarcerated people’s needs for achieving criminal desistence. The Circles use public health learning principles including applied learning experiences to increase self-efficacy and hopefulness, restorative justice, and solution-focused brief therapy language, which promote positive attitudes and healing. A primary strength of the Circles is treating individuals as their own change agents rather than the passive recipients of treatment directed by others. The author concludes that reentry planning resources are better invested in models similar to Huikahi Circles, which include the participation and decision making of incarcerated people and their loved ones, rather than professionally driven case management efforts.