Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Kendall Hughes, D. Min. and Captain Jeff Stilwell to the Restorative Works! Podcast.  Join us as Kendall shares his reflections on his two decades as a chaplain in federal prisons, where he facilitated transformative dialogues between incarcerated individuals and the victims of violent crimes. He shares how this experience inspired the creation of programs that give both victims and offenders a platform to heal, with many former offenders now leading youth recovery and reentry programs. Captain Stilwell offers a unique perspective from his leadership role in law enforcement, highlighting his department’s collaboration with Three Rivers Restorative Justice to divert youth from traditional prosecution, focusing instead on reconciliation and accountability through restorative justice conferences. The conversation also explores the recent Minnesota legislation establishing a statewide office of restorative practices, an initiative aimed at providing equitable access to restorative justice for all communities, particularly those that have been historically marginalized.  Kendall is Director of the Minnesota Office of Restorative Practices. He began in the 80s as a nonprofit staff person walking alongside leaders from minoritized communities as they built affordable housing, places of worship, and schools.  He spent two decades as a Chaplain in federal prisons. Together with resilient incarcerated men, Kendall developed an 18-month residential relationship and skill building program that offered transformative dialogues to survivors of violent crimes and men who had caused deep harm. Many of those men are now leaders in youth, recovery, and reentry programs; others are entrepreneurs and civil servants. In 2019, Kendall co-founded Three Rivers Restorative Justice in southeastern MN, focusing on both pre-charge restorative justice conferences and training facilitators. In 2023, the Minnesota legislature and Governor approved the establishment of a statewide Office of Restorative Practices and on August 21, 2024, Kendall became the first director of that office.   Jeff is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over 30 years of dedicated service. Throughout his career, he has consistently showcased his commitment to community safety, effective crime prevention, and exceptional leadership. He advanced through the ranks from patrol officer to captain, earning recognition for his strategic vision, proactive community engagement, and collaborative approach to policing. For the past five years, he has led the Rochester Police Department's Community Services Division, which was established in February 2019 to enhance community connections in Rochester. His division encompasses the Community Action Team, School Resource Officers, Hospital Resource Officers, Community Service Officers, Animal Control, and Parking Control. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in advancing the department's community engagement efforts. Jeff retired and now serves as a Board Member for Three Rivers Restorative Justice. Tune in now to hear Kendall’s and Jeff's inspiring stories of restorative justice in action.