Minnesota Mediation Center Produces Positive Results

Source: (1991) Corrections Today. 53(5): 192, 194-196.

The evaluation, which began in 1989, was based on post-mediation interviews with a sample of 51 victims and 66 juvenile offenders. A total of 379 cases were referred to the Center in 1989. Fifty-six percent of the referrals involved misdemeanor offenses, and 444 percent were felony offenses. The most common offenses were vandalism, theft, burglary, and tampering. Of the 379 cases, 50 percent resulted in face-to-face mediation, 9 percent in indirect mediation, and 41 percent in no mediation. Restitution agreements were reached in 96 percent of the mediation cases, resulting in $23,328 in monetary restitution, 403 hours of personal service restitution for the victims, 787 hours of community service restitution, and 17 agreements with only an apology required by the victim. Eighty-one percent of the restitution agreements were completed. Both crime victims and their offender expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the mediation process. The victims appreciated being able to tell the offender how the crime had affected them and working with the offender to determine an appropriate response to the offense. A significant number of offenders indicated that the mediation outcome was fair and that it helped them to discuss the offense with the victims. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.