Guidelines for Victim-Sensitive Victim-Offender Mediation: Restorative Justice Through Dialogue

• NCJ Number: 176346
• Date Published: April 2000
• Length: 67 pages
• Grant Number(s): 96-VF-GX-K006
• Agencies: OVC
• Publication Type: Guideline

Annotation

This report examines victim-offender mediation, a major program intervention that fully embraces the concepts of restorative justice.

Abstract

The process of allowing interested crime victims to meet offenders in the presence of trained mediators now occurs in nearly 300 communities in the United States and more than 700 communities in Europe. The report presents specific criteria and recommendations to enhance the overall quality of victim-offender mediation programs and promote more victim-sensitive practices in the field. The material contained in the report is based on a nationwide assessment of the most current practices in the field. The material focuses on the practice of victim-offender mediation and dialogue regarding property crimes and minor assaults, the kinds of offenses typically addressed through mediation. Along with identifying specific recommendations for program development, the report presents guidelines for victim-sensitive victim-offender mediation. These guidelines concern victim safety, case screening, victim and offender choices, mediator obligations and responsibilities, victim and offender support, the use of victim-sensitive language, and mediator training in victim sensitivity. Additional information is appended on humanistic mediation, mediation programs, and promising mediation practices. 33 references and 2 tables