NCJ Number
184647
Date Published
May 2000
Length
132 pages
Annotation
This report to the California Legislature summarizes the results of six separate evaluations of Victim Offender Reconciliation Programs (VORPs) serving victims and their juvenile offenders in six California counties.
Abstract
Through VORPs, trained volunteer mediators bring together victims and juvenile offenders to discuss what happened in a particular crime and how the crime has affected the victims and the community. VORPs both augment and provide an alternative to traditional justice processing. Findings of six VORP evaluations are presented for programs in Los Angeles, Mendocino, Orange, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, and Sonoma Counties. In brief, evaluation findings indicated the six programs exceeded the amount of restitution collected from comparison groups by much more than the 40 percent benchmark established by law, achieved recidivism rates of at least 10 percent less than comparison groups, garnered satisfactory rates of participation by victims and offenders, received impressive participant satisfaction scores from all individuals involved, and produced additional indicators of success. Lessons learned from the six programs are discussed. Appendixes present further information on the legislative mandate for VORPs, the six programs, and available program resources. 40 tables and 4 figures