Traveling VOM and Conference Training Advances Restorative Justice in Russia

Source: (2000) VOMA Connections. Spring 2000, Number 5. Pp. 1, 11.

With considerable dissatisfaction in Russia with the criminal justice system, some have been trying to advance mediation in the criminal justice system to help both victims and offenders. Mediation is established in the legal code in Russia, but a lack of clear procedures works against satisfactory implementation of mediation. In this context, the Centre for Legal and Judicial Reforms in Moscow – which practices victim-offender mediation in one area of Moscow – sought outside training in victim-offender mediation (VOM). Marian Liebmann, former director of Mediation UK, was invited to Russia to provide training, which she conducted in July 1999. In this article, Liebmann describes the training experience, including the types of participants, role-play activities, and the response from participants.