NCJ Number
83719
Date Published
Unknown
Length
84 pages
Annotation
This training manual describes the procedures to be used by volunteers who mediate disputes through the Los Angeles Neighborhood Justice Center (NJC), a program sponsored by the Los Angeles County Bar Association to provide alternative dispute settlement for both civil and criminal disputes.
Abstract
In 1981, NJC changed its emphasis from a community-based dispute resolution model to a model that will accept referrals directly from the criminal justice system. NJC is a free service that provides a confidential and simple process for resolving disputes. Although participation is voluntary, most mediations result in written or verbal agreements that are performed without any problems in over 85 percent of the cases. Mediation is provided by volunteer mediators who receive training and supervision by NJC staff. NJC does not deal with serious crimes, cases where one party insists on court adjudication, cases where the basic problem appears to involve extended emotional therapy for at least one party, and cases where one party does not consent to attempt mediation. The seven stages of the mediation process include preparation, the opening statement by the mediator, the initial statements by the disputants, the caucus or individual interview, the negotiation meeting between both parties, the writing of the agreement, and the closing statement. Detailed instructions are given for each stage. Procedures for criminal cases and for cases involving small claims court are also presented. A list of terms, sample agreements, a discussion of communication techniques, and statistics on the use of NJC are provided.