How Widespread Is the Practice of Conflict Resolution?
Mediation, arbitration, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution gained popularity in the 1980s and the trajectory of growth has risen steadily ever since. Although programs vary widely, all jurisdictions now have some type of ADR program. Some jurisdictions have mandatory programs, such as requiring disputants in certain cases (such as divorce) to take parenting classes or meet with a mediator to attempt to resolve custody issues. As public awareness of ADR has grown, so has the number of number of mediators working in private practice. While there is no comprehensive data on the number of conflict resolution practitioners, informal estimates put the number of private practitioners in the U.S. at more than 20,000.
