U.S. Department of Justice

Community Relations Service

CRS

Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice Fact Sheet ❏ 1

The Community Relations Service (CRS), an arm of the U.S.

Department of Justice, is a specialized conciliation service

available to State and local officials to help prevent and resolve

racial and ethnic conflict, violence, and civil disorder. CRS

helps governors, mayors, police chiefs, school

superintendents, and civic leaders defuse and manage racial

and ethnic tensions and crises. CRS helps local officials and

residents develop locally defined resolutions which restore

community order and stability. CRS is the only Federal

agency dedicated to this mission and annually assists hundreds

of State and local units of government, private and public

organizations, and community groups.

Services Available

For more than 35 years, CRS has provided its experienced

mediators to settle community conflicts and violence related to

race, color, or national origin. CRS’ highly skilled conflict

resolution professionals have helped resolve thousands of

cases, arising use of force incidents, hate crimes, special

events, changing demographics, and many other issues.

CRS provides its services when requested or when it believes

peaceful community relations may be threatened. It relies on

impartial mediation practices and established conflict

resolution procedures to help local leaders resolve problems

and restore community stability. CRS effectiveness depends

upon voluntary cooperation by the parties with CRS and other

parties. CRS professionals assist in identifying the sources of

violence and conflict and utilize specialized crisis management

and violence reduction techniques. CRS does not have law

enforcement authority and does not impose solutions,

investigate or prosecute cases, or assign blame or fault.

Further, CRS mediators are required by law to conduct their

activities in confidence and are prohibited from disclosing

confidential information.

CRS conducts its work onsite with State and local officials,

police executives, school and college administrators, and civic

leaders. 

• CRS provides expertise and guidance on methods 

and policies that help calm racial tensions and resolve 

conflicts;

• CRS builds cooperative approaches with State and local 

governments and community groups to prevent and 

respond to civil disorders;

• CRS improves lines of communication among Federal, 

State, and local public officials, community leaders 

and residents;

• CRS resolves conflicts and disputes through formal 

mediation or other conciliation approaches;

• CRS helps establish programs to eliminate racial 

misconceptions and build multiracial coalitions;

• CRS assesses community relations involving racial and 

ethnic tensions.

Significant CRS Accomplishments

During periods of heightened racial tension and conflict in our

Nation, CRS has helped hundreds of communities. Examples

of CRS assistance include:

• Civil Disorders. CRS helps mayors, police chiefs, and

community leaders restore stability and order. From the

civil unrest in Los Angeles to demonstrations and

community tensions over police shootings in Riverside,

California; New York, New York; Pittsburg h ,

Pennsylvania; and Providence, Rhode Island, CRS was

". . . discrimination is something we will

not tolerate . . . The enforcement of the law

and protection of the law will be accorded

to every citizen, and that no citizen will be

beyond the reach of the law." --

John Ashcroft

Attorney General 

February 12, 2001

FACT SHEET
2 ❏ Fact Sheet Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice

“on the ground, ” helping police, local officials, and

leaders end the violence and begin constructive dialogue.

Once stability was restored, CRS provided assistance and

training to improve police community relations and avert

new violence.

• Church Burnings. As part of a comprehensive response

by Federal agencies to address church burnings, CRS

staff worked directly with more than 180 rural, suburban,

and urban governments in 17 States to help eliminate

racial distrust and polarization, promote multiracial

efforts for the construction of new buildings, conduct race

relations training for community leaders and law

enforcement officers, and provide technical assistance

bringing together law enforcement agencies and minority

neighborhoods. CRS served as a principal partner on the

National Church Arson Task Force.

• Schools, Colleges, and Universities. CRS services are

regularly requested by hundreds of school districts and

colleges. CRS is asked to help address racial conflicts

and violence, reduce tensions, develop plans to avoid

potential incidents, and conduct training programs for

students, teachers, administrators and parents. CRS offers

special programs, including the Student Problem

Identification and Resolution (SPIR) program, which

assists school administrators, teachers, students, and

parents identify and defuse racial tensions at the senior

and junior high levels. A further development of this

program involves local police agencies as key partners in

the design of an action plan. 

• Demonstrations, Marches, and Other Special Events.

CRS mediators help make sure that local officials and

event organizers plan and communicate cooperatively,

thereby reducing the prospect of racial

misunderstandings, conflicts, and confrontations. Key

planning and crisis reponse assistance was provided

during the Democratic and Republican Conventions,

Spring Break events in the Southeast, and at numerous

protests and rallies throughout the country.

• Hate Crimes. CRS assists in ameliorating racial tensions

sparked by incidents of hate crimes. CRS supported State

and local hate crime working groups, developed

curriculum and conducted training programs for

command and patrol officers on response to hate crimes,

and assisted communities in fostering constructive

community involvement in the response to hate crimes.

In Jasper, Texas, CRS assisted the city of Jasper, Texas,

along with Federal, State, and local law enforcement in

contingency planning for demonstrations and marches by

national and local organizations in the aftermath of the

dragging murder of James Byrd, Jr. CRS helped the city

prepare for the national attention surrounding the funeral

and burial, then worked with a broad coalition of leaders

to plan for racial reconciliation.

• Housing. CRS provides technical assistance to police

departments and community agencies in managing racial

tensions involving housing issues. CRS works with

community leaders, housing officials, security, local law

enforcement, and school officials to assure there is a

coordinated response.

• Environmental Justice. CRS addresses racial conflicts

based on environmental issues. CRS mediated an

agreement between city officials and community leaders

which resolved health concerns, facilitated community

involvement in the development of a joint cleanup plan,

and assisted community leaders in addressing community

concerns over environmental issues associated with the

enlargement of the sanitary landfill.

• Native Americans. CRS provides conflict resolution

assistance on issues and disputes involving tribes,

communities, and Federal, State, and local officials. CRS

assistance resolved issues of using reservation lands for

sanitary and hazardous waste landfills, tribal voting

rights, leasing of tribal lands to non-tribal members for

housing and businesses, cross-deputization between tribal

and non-tribal law enforcement agencies, jurisdictional

disputes between State and local governments, and tribes

over gaming activities, and the return of ancient Native

American remains and artifacts unearthed by new land

development.

• Federal-Local Part n e r s h i p s . C R S ’ p o s i t i v e

relationships with community organizations help support

other efforts, including community-oriented policing,

conflict resolution and outreach by national law

enforcement organizations, state police organizations,

and police unions.

CRS Mission and Goals

In accordance with Title X of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42

U.S.C. 2000g, CRS seeks to prevent and resolve community

conflicts and tensions arising from actions, policies, and

practices perceived to be discriminatory on the basis of race,

"A civil society demands from each of us

good will and respect, fair dealing and

forgiveness." --

George W. Bush

President

January 20, 2001
Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice Fact Sheete ❏ 3

color or national origin. CRS provides services, which include

conciliation, mediation, and technical assistance, directly to

people and their communities to help them resolve conflicts

that tear at the fabric of our increasingly diverse society.

CRS Program Goals

• To create opportunities and mechanisms for constructive

civic discourse on issues of race and ethnicity. CRS helps

give national leadership and assistance to efforts to

establish “places and spaces” for effective race relations

discussions.

• To provide a high caliber of conflict resolution and

prevention services to those communities most

vulnerable to significant race relations tensions, conflicts,

and violence.

• To build enhanced dispute resolution capabilities in local

communities, including high schools, colleges and

universities, so that local institutions will be able to

resolve their own conflicts without external assistance.

• To establish bridges between minority groups and law

enforcement organizations in order to improve relations

and community safety, and to reduce the potential for

community conflict.

• To improve the preparedness of communities to respond

to civil unrest including activities by hate groups, through

the provision of training, contingency planning, and

technical assistance.

CRS Customer Service Standards

Our goal is to provide sensitive and effective conflict

prevention and resolution services. You can expect us to

meet the following standards when we work with you:

• 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 or

CRS becomes aware of the situation to discuss your

request for CRS services.

CRS Offices

CRS Headquarters

Community Relations Service

600 E Street, NW, Suite 6000

Washington, D.C. 20530

202/305-2935

202/305-3009 FAX

CRS Regional and 

Field Offices

New England Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

408 Atlantic Avenue Room 222

Boston, MA 02201

617/424-5715

617/424-5727 FAX

Northeast Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

26 Federal Plaza, Suite 36-118

New York, NY10278

212/264-0700

212/264-2143 FAX

Mid-Atlantic Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Custom House

2nd and Chestnut Streets, Room 208

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215/597-2344

215/597-9148 FAX

Southeast Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

75 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Room 900

Atlanta, GA 30303

404/331-6883

404/331-4471 FAX

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4 ❏ Fact Sheet Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Justice

CRS Regional and 

Field Offices (continued)

Field Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

51 S.W. First Avenue, Suite 624

Miami, FL 33130

305/536-5206

305/536-6778 FAX

Midwest Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

55 West Monroe Street, Suite 420

Chicago, IL 60603

312/353-4391

312/353-4390 FAX

Field Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

211 West Fort Street, Suite 1404

Detroit, MI 48226

313/226-4010

313/226-2568 FAX

U.S. Department of Justice

Community Relations Service

Washington D.C. 20530

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Southwest Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

1420 West Mockingbird Lane, Suite 250

Dallas, TX 75247

214/655-8175

214/655-8184 FAX

Field Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

515 Rusk Avenue

Houston, TX 77002

713/718-4861

713/718-4862 FAX

Central Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Main Street, Suite 1320

Kansas City, MO 64105

816/426-7434

816/426-7441 FAX

Rocky Mountain Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

1244 Speer Blvd. Suite 650

Denver, CO 80204-3584

303/844-2973

303/844-2907 FAX

Western Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

888 South Figueroa Street, Suite 1880

Los Angeles, CA 90017

213/894-2941

213/894-2880 FAX

Field Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

120 Howard Street, Suite 790

San Francisco, CA 94105

415/744-6565

415/744-6590 FAX

Northwest Regional Office

Community Relations Service

U.S. Department of Justice

915 Second Avenue, Room 1808

Seattle, WA 98174

206/220-6700

206/220-6706 FAX

CRS Website: www.usdoj.gov/crs