Victim Offender Conferencing and Dialogue

What is Victim Offender Conferencing and Dialogue?

Victim Offender Conferencing & Dialogue are meetings, in the presence of a trained facilitator, between the victim of a crime and the offender. This victim-driven process operates under the Restorative Justice philosophy, and aims to give crime victims an active voice while holding offenders directly accountable for their actions. This service is only utilized with the voluntary consent of the victim.

Victim Offender Conferencing involves the victim, victim supporters, offender, offender supporters and other community members such as probation, police, school staff and/or neighbors. Victim Offender Dialogue involves only the victim and offender coming face-to-face. Both models are conducted in the presence of a trained facilitator.

What is the goal of Victim Offender Conferencing and Dialogue?

The goal of Victim Offender Conferencing & Dialogue is to provide an alternative method to address high-risk behavior, while providing the victim with an opportunity to have an active voice in how the harm will be repaired.

How does Victim Offender Conferencing & Dialogue work?

Victim-Offender Conferencing & Dialogue includes meetings between the offender, the victim, and supporters for both, in the presence of a trained facilitator. During this meeting, the facilitator works with the participants to discuss the offense, the harm it has brought to the victim, and the impact it has on the offender’s family and the community as a whole. Offenders are held actively accountable for their actions, and are expected to be willing to try and repair the harm.

What are the benefits of Victim Offender Conferencing & Dialogue?

Victims can:

• Hold offenders accountable;
• Share how the crime affected their lives;
• Ask questions they may have regarding the crime; and
• Participate in establishing a reparation agreement.

Offenders can:

• Learn about the impact of their offense;
• Explain their behavior;
• Work to repair the harm they have caused; and
• Earn their way back into the community.

Communities will:

• Become safer by holding offenders accountable;
• Communicate expectations to the offender while supporting victims; and
• Become stronger by encouraging problem solving and reparation.

Who is eligible for Victim Offender Conferencing and Dialogue?

Victim Offender Conferencing and Dialogue services ages 7 and older, who have committed a crime or an offense in Erie County.

How much does Victim Offender Conferencing and Dialogue cost?

Victim Offender Conferencing and Dialogue is free of charge.

What is a Crime Impact Class?

When a victim is unavailable for dialogue an offender may be placed in this one time, two hour class designed to help offenders accept responsibility for their criminal actions and understand the impact of crime on victims. The Crime Impact Class is free of charge for offenders ages 7-15. There is a $60.00 charge for offenders ages 16 and older.

Client Comments

Parent of Offender:

"I really feel that because my child had the opportunity to meet the victim, it made him feel more sorry than he was prior to the conference."

"We appreciate that our son was given the opportunity to learn a valuable life lesson as a minor before other, possibly worse crimes, were committed. We appreciate the fact and understanding that the facilitators gave to our son."

Parent of Victim:

"I am glad that we had the conference. It made me feel more secure and I feel that my son feels more secure. Thank you."