The program was associated with the circuit court so as to provide an administrator with governmental affiliation that is useful in obtaining Federal funding. The program, however, maintains its independence from the criminal justice system. Professionals such as social workers and psychologists, who are skilled dealing with people and conflict, were solicited to become mediators at $5-$10 an hour. Paid mediators were preferred over a volunteer arrangement to ensure dependable performance, although programs using volunteer mediators have not generally complained of undependable mediator performance. Mediators are trained largely through observing the performance of experienced mediators in actual sessions as well as through more formal instruction. Publicity for the program is multifaceted, including newspaper articles and radio and television 'spots.' Criteria for the cases to be heard are very loose, with the primary requirement being that all parties involved voluntarily enter the mediation approach. Every effort has been made to have a staff of mediators with a cross section of ethnic backgrounds and experience in dealing with various types of interpersonal problems, so that parties may select mediators of a preferred ethnic background or race.