NCJ Number
172632
Date Published
1996
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This description of England's Leeds Mediation and Reparation Service (LMRS) addresses its philosophy and principles, staffing, mediation process, types of offenses for which mediation is provided, victims and offenders, recidivism research, and the future of the program.
Abstract
The LMRS has completed 10 years of victim-offender mediation that involves both juvenile and adult offenders and their victims. Participation must be voluntary on the part of both offender and victim, and it may occur at any phase in the criminal justice process. Referrals come from a wide variety of sources, including victims and offenders themselves. The service is funded by the probation agency, but operates at arms' length from probation. Mediators are trained community people, and most are paid on a sessional basis. Mediation may result in an agreement for reparation or service to community or victim, but more often it results in an apology or no further action required; victims seem more interested in the fact that the offender is willing to meet with them, take responsibility for the offense, and extend an apology than in receiving reparation. Approximately 48 percent of referrals result in mediation; all types of offenses are considered. The majority of the offenders are young, with 61 percent being between the ages of 13 and 22. Most of the offenders are male, and 42 percent of the victims are male, with 29 percent being female. Eight percent come from joint households, and 21 percent of the victims are corporate victims. There is no difference between men and women in terms of the likelihood that they will agree to participate in mediation. Follow-up studies show a lower recidivism rate for offenders who have completed mediation, although this may be a selected artifact, since the program is careful to ensure that both victims and offenders are volunteers. 4 tables and 7 references