The Community Relations Service: Legacy, Impact, and Future

The Community Relations Service: Legacy, Impact, and Future

From Resolutions: A Podcast About Dispute Resolution and Prevention by ABA Section of Dispute Resolution

July 31, 2025 · 48 min · Episode 32

About this episode

Former CRS Directors reflect on the agency's legacy, impact, and future in conflict resolution.

Established under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Community Relations Service (CRS) has long served as a specialized conflict resolution agency within the U.S. Department of Justice. In this episode, former CRS Directors Becky Monroe and Grande Lum reflect on the agency’s origins, its role in supporting communities through tension and crisis, and the questions surrounding its current status. Join us to reflect on its mission, share pivotal moments from its history, and make the case for why it still matters. This episode was published by the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution - the leading source of dispute resolution information and networking opportunities for professionals around the world. Not a member of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today! Listen on Apple Podcasts, PodBean, and Spotify.

People in this episode

Guests: Becky Monroe, Grande Lum

Topics covered

  • dispute resolution
  • civil rights
  • community support
  • conflict resolution
  • government agency

Keywords

  • Community Relations Service
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • conflict resolution agency
  • U.S. Department of Justice
  • community tension
  • crisis support
  • agency's origins
  • pivotal moments
  • mission importance

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