Editing Template:BlockingPolicy (section)

===Procedure===
Blocking is a countermeasure to prevent the expected continuation of misconduct or to defuse an escalating situation of negativity or conflict between members. The function of blocking is to disincentivise undesirable behaviour, ''not'' to disenfranchise participation or to banish users. Resorting to blocking is regarded as unfavourable and is preferred to be avoided, or be minimal and temporary in nature, afterwards giving a user the chance to demonstrate a change and improvement to their behaviour.
*'''Warnings may be issued to inform an offending user of their misconduct where it is assumed that they were at least partly unaware of wrongdoing.'''
*'''A block's initial duration is determined at staff's discretion, and if subsequent blocks are applied relating to particular misconduct, these may increase up to a maximum duration of 1 month per block.'''
*'''Users are entitled to an explanation regarding the cause and conditions of blocks, and one can make a request on their talk page for staff to provide this (where permission to post on their own talk page while blocked is afforded, unless the privilege is abused, leading to it being revoked).'''
*'''An appeal may be pursued with the staff member who applied a block to have its details clarified and its duration potentially reduced, until that staff member deems that the matter has been adequately settled, where then no other staff member is obliged to intervene.'''
*'''Blocks may be reduced or lifted at any time without notification.'''