Source: (2013) in, Katherine S. van Wormer and Lorenn Walkers, eds, Restorative Justice Today: Practical Applications. Los Angeles: Sage. PP. 145-149.
Restorative justice has a long history in Vermont with a variety of practices having been used. The Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) is a restorative justice program available to victims of severe and violent crimes through the Vermont Department of Correction’s Victim Services Program. The process is victim-initiated and victim-centered and designed to give victims the chance to meet and ask questions of the individual who caused them harm. The dialogue is facilitated by a trained facilitator after a significant period of individual preparation when the facilitator engages both the victim and the offender in conversations about the enduring impact of the crime and helps each party identify issues of concern and inquiry. The process is voluntary for offenders, who do not get any special consideration in their sentence or release status for participating. (excerpt)
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
Donate Now