Acknowledgments

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) would like to offer special thanks to author Mark S. Umbreit, Ph.D., Director, of the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking (formerly the Center for Restorative Justice & Mediation), School of Social Work, University of Minnesota, for this document. We would also like to acknowledge the valuable contributions made by Howard Zehr, Ph.D., Conflict Transformation Program at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia, and a working group of practitioners in Minnesota trained in family group conferencing and convened by the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking. In addition, we thank Robert Schug, Administrative Aide at the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking, who prepared the document and responded to numerous requests for draft copies.

This project also benefited greatly from the contributions, guidance, and support of Susan Laurence, the Project Manager at OVC. This Restorative Justice and Mediation Collection is the result of the efforts of many individuals in the field who generously shared their materials and experiences with the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking so that victims may be provided additional options in the process of healing.