Source: (1994) Justice Professional 8(2):23-35.
A study evaluates the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) for juveniles operated by a private agency in Elkhart County, IN. The sample, composed of 228 youths who participated in the program from January 1987 to December 1988, was followed through the end of 1990. Data were collected from agency records. Despite voluntary participation by offenders in the VORP, not all victims received full recompense from their victimizers. The VORP in Elkhart was effective in lowering recidivism among juveniles with prior offense history only as long as they were under restitutive supervision. Participation turned out to be a stop-gap measure for reducing recidivism among these youths. The short-term effect of the program faded away subsequent to their release from the program.
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