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Robert Spicer

Robert A. Spicer is the program manager for Community Panels for Youth (CPY), a program of the Community Justice for Youth Institute (CJYI). Robert is responsible for coordinating CPY in Chicago. He also works on a number of community and juvenile court initiatives, including the North Lawndale DMC (disproportionate minority contact) committee, collaborating with Chicago Police department in creating Youth forums which are implemented throughout the city and incorporates the philosophy of Restorative Justice. He is also apart of the Juvenile Justice taskforce in collaboration with community, youth and Chicago Public Schools working on issues around DMC and youth arrest in the schools. He is also on the City-wide Restorative Justice Committee. Robert was asked by the CEO of Chicago Public Schools to sit on the Student Code of Conduct Advisory committee where he is working with school officials and community members in revising the code and adding Restorative justice principles and practices to it.

He is a motivational speaker and regularly conducts presentations on community alternative justice programs and the use of restorative justice models in resolving community conflicts for judges, attorneys, community agencies, churches and schools. Robert is also a National Trainer of Restorative Justice sponsored by Florida Atlantic University. Robert was a presenter at the International Institute for Restorative Practices and has given the commencement address at Consuella B. York Alternative High School in the Cook County Jail and at John Marshall High School. His message of peace and reconciliation and hope has motivate many to come and join this movement.

Before joining Community Justice for Youth Institute, Robert was a third grade classroom teacher and a Math Curriculum Coordinator for eight years at Sojourner Truth Elementary School in Chicago. While at Truth School, he founded the Men of Truth, non-profit organization, which mentored youth, provided tutoring and raised funds to send third graders to visit Historically Black Colleges in Atlanta, Ga.

Robert earned his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College. He earned his Master’s degree in Education from Dominican University. He is currently the senior pastor at Englewood Mennonite Church in Chicago, IL. He is the proud father of a son, Robert Jr., and is married to Danielle who is a Chicago Public School teacher. The live in Chicago, IL.