According to Garvey, the Hearing Circle is where people gather together to look for solutions.

After Cole caps off his most recent felonious activity by beating up a boy who reported him, it appears that for the first time in his life he's going to have to face judicial consequences. Garvey, a youth probation officer, asks him to consider Circle Justice instead.

Circle Justice is a Native American practice where a person signs a contract agreeing to abide by the ruling of the circle. Its purpose is to heal everyone involved in a crime. The example Garvey gives is that if Cole had killed his cat, then Cole might be required to get him a new cat and care for it. By working toward this type of resolution, everyone has a chance to heal and forgive.

The Hearing Circle is one of the first parts of Circle Justice. Everyone involved—including the injured party, the guilty party, family members, judicial representatives, and community members—gathers together. The only requirement is wanting to help and be part of the solution. They discuss ways that they might help everyone involved find healing. The people who run the Hearing Circle and other types of circles are called Keepers.