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Restorative Justice: Victim Empowerment Through Mediation and Dialogue

NCJ Number
173671
Date Published
Unknown
Annotation

This videotape recognizes victims need to be part of the criminal justice process, specifically to be informed and given an opportunity to express their feelings.

Abstract

The criminal justice system tends to be offender-driven. As a component of restorative justice, victim-offender mediation is designed to hold offenders accountable and to allow for victim input and involvement. Interviews with victims who have participated in victim-offender mediation are presented in which victims of burglary, home vandalism, and gang intimidation discuss their fears and frustrations. Benefits of victim-offender mediation are noted, including the positive impact on both victims and offenders of face-to-face contact, victim empowerment, greater victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system, reduced fear of revictimization, and an increased sense of fairness.