Frequently Asked Questions and How-To's
Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP)
Victim Offender Reconciliation offers a direct encounter between the offender and the victim of a crime in order to make the offenders personally accountable for their actions and to help victims overcome the feeling of powerlessness which the traditional judicial system has difficulty addressing.
THE MISSION OF VORP
The Victim Offender Reconciliation Program of Nashville offers an alternative response to crime and delinquency; a direct encounter between victim and offender.
By changing the tone of the justice system from adversarial and punitive to cooperative and personal, trained volunteer mediators help the parties come to terms with their disputes in a way which offers to both an experience of justice and empowerment.
Participation in mediation is ALWAYS voluntary. Information revealed during mediation is private and confidential.
EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND CONSULTING
VORP provides training for those interested in becoming volunteer mediators.
Mediation skills can also be used to enhance personal and professional skills. Our mediation training services are available to others in the community who wish to improve their skills.
VORP works with community organizations and others interested in establishing a mediation program within their organization, agency, or business.
BENEFITS TO THE VICTIM
The victim is given the rare opportunity of confronting the offender. This face-to-face meeting in the presence of a trained volunteer mediator allow the victim to express feelings of frustration, hurt, and anger.
- Reduction of fears; questions answered
- Real voice in criminal justice system
- Opportunity to be a reconciler
- Opportunity to affect positively the life of the offender
BENEFITS TO THE OFFENDER
The offender is held personally accountable by the reconciliation process, and able to learn the human dimension of the crime.
- Realizes the consequences of action
- Participates in the criminal justice system in a restorative way
- Expresses remorse; asks for forgiveness
- Makes amends to victim and community
BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY
Finding workable alternatives to incarceration for those guilty of moderately serious offenses makes good sense. Taxpayers can save a significant amount of money with reconciliation programs, which avoid court costs and run only a fraction of the price of imprisonment.
Perhaps even more important, a reconciliation program in a community strengthens the teaching of nonviolent techniques to resolve conflicts. No one connected with the reconciliation process - the victim, offender, or mediator - can leave the experience without being moved by the empowerment that can occur in reconciliation.
THE WAY VORP WORKS
- Case (for example, burglary of a home) referred to VORP by juvenile or criminal justice system...
- Case reviewed for suitability
- Mediator talks individually with victim and defendant...
- With approval from both, time for face-to-face meeting of victim and offender is set up...
- Mediation: Victim and offender tell their experiences from thoughts to feelings - with assistance of mediator, restitution agreed on...
- Case returned to criminal justice system with report on the results of mediation...
- Restitution monitored to completion...
- Court report completed and returned to referring court.
If you would like to help with the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program, you may contact them directly at
522 Russell Street
Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 256-2206
(615) 256-2962 fax
This information was taken from a brochure produced and supplied by VORP of Nashville.