Our History

The concept of community mediation has grown rapidly over the course of the past three decades in response to concerns over violence in our society and frustration with our overburdened and expensive judicial system. Hundreds of community mediation Centers now operate throughout the United States and are widely recognized as vital components of justice in most states. The Center for Mediation, founded in 1996, is Rhode Island’s only such Center. The idea for the Center was conceived among a group of visionary founders who wanted to increase the use of peaceful conflict resolution techniques across the state, and who, for several years, operated the Center as an entire volunteer
board-run organization.

In April of 1999, at the request of Judge Indeglia, the Center began a pilot mediation program in Newport County District Court. From its inception, the program was very successful. In 2000, at the request of the late Judge DeRobbio, the program expanded to Providence County District Court. In 2002, the program expanded further to Kent and Washington County District Courts, and then to Providence’s Housing Court. Today, the Center continues to operate its Court Mediation Program in the four District Courts under a  grant from the Rhode Island Supreme Court.