NCJ Number
214435
Date Published
November 1998
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of an evaluation of the Center for Community Justice's victim-offender mediation program in Kent County, DE.
Abstract
Of the total number of offenders referred to the victim-offender mediation program operated under the Center for Community Justice (formerly the Kent County Community Justice Center), 85 percent agreed to participate in mediation. Of those offenders who participated in mediation, 93.7 percent successfully completed the mediated settlement and of the total offenders referred to the program, 88.9 percent of all juvenile and 83.3 percent of all adults successfully completed their mediated agreements. The medium program time for both juveniles and adults was 14 days. These results show that the victim-offender mediation program is successful. In 1994, the Kent County Community Justice Center in Delaware received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance to implement a victim-offender mediation program. The program objective was to allow a victim of a nonviolent offense to meet with the offender and reach a mediated agreement in which the victim receives compensation for harm done by the offender. An outcome evaluation was conducted to determine if the four impact objectives of the program were met. The impact objectives included: (1) the victim and offender should reach a mutually agreed upon resolution in 85 percent of the cases referred; (2) 85 percent of all juvenile/adult offenders would comply with the agreement and repay 100 percent of mediated restitution; (3) 75 percent of all victims would be satisfied with the mediation process; and (4) the time from referral to mediation must be less than 67 days. Tables