NCJ Number
144003
Date Published
Unknown
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the activities and achievements of mediation services for juvenile offenders and their victims provided through a private, nonprofit organization in the San Francisco area.
Abstract
The Community Board Program worked with the San Francisco Juvenile Court/Department of Juvenile Probation to provide mediation services for juvenile offenders and their victims through trained community volunteers. During the grant period, the program received 249 case referrals from the Probation Department. Of these, 113 (45 percent) culminated in a completed hearing. The most frequent reason for lack of mediation was the victim's unwillingness to participate; in 10 percent of the cases, the matter was resolved between the parties before going to mediation. In most cases, the mediation session was held in the neighborhood where the dispute occurred. The mediators met in panels of three or four. The offenders were typically accompanied by a parent or guardian. Ninety-five percent of the mediations resulted in mutually satisfying written agreements. In most cases the victim and offender discussed the incident/conflict for the first time. Three cases are profiled to illustrate the operation of the mediation process.