What is Victim-Offender Mediation?
The growing interest in victim-offender mediation arises from its capacity to facilitate a real and understandable sense of justice for those most directly affected by crime: victims, victimized communities, and offenders. Victim-Offender Mediation Programs, also known as Victim-Offender Reconciliation Programs, bring offenders face-to-face with the victims of their crimes, with the assistance of a trained mediator who is often a community volunteer. Crime is personalized as offenders learn the human consequences of their actions. Victims (who are largely ignored by the justice system) have the opportunity to speak their minds and express their feelings to the one who most needs to hear them, contributing to the healing process of the victim by getting their questions answered. Offenders take meaningful responsibility for their actions by negotiating a restitution agreement with the victim to restore the victims’ losses in whatever way possible. The Goal of the Project To develop a pil
