NCJ Number
100140
Date Published
1986
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Probation officers from Quincy, Mass., and Dallas, Tex., describe the development and operations of the victim-offender mediation component of their juvenile restitution programs.
Abstract
Andrew Klein, Chief Probation Officer for Quincy, Mass., focuses on mediation as one way to involve victims in the criminal justice system. He emphasizes that the Quincy program views victims as a resource: individuals who participate in negotiating the restitution order and as potential volunteers. He also describes the responsibilities of the program's full-time mediator. Gary Howard, director of an juvenile offender-victim mediation program started in Dallas in 1983, provides a brief history of his program and outlines benefits of mediation for victims, offenders, and the court system. His presentation focuses on program structure and practice, beginning with eligibility criteria. Also discussed are skills needed by mediators, the basic stages of mediation, and guidelines for victim interviews. Howard includes a sample restitution agreement and victim statement used in his program. Suggestions on obtaining community support and writing a proposal conclude the session.