This is a restorative justice program for adolescent offenders and their victims. The objective is to convene a mediated meeting for those involved to discuss the crime and establish a plan for future compensation.
The program consists of four phases:
1) Intake: each case is assigned to a specific mediator, who has received 25 hours of initial training;
2) Preparation: this is a one-on-one meeting between the mediator and the parties involved, to hear each party’s side of the story;
3) Intake and mediation: the session lasts one hour on average and is aimed at discussing the facts and feelings surrounding the crime, as well as agreeing on the form of restitution between the parties;
4) Follow-up: includes making sure that the restitution agreement is followed through, as well as scheduling additional mediation sessions, if necessary.