Mission & Goals - Juvenile Justice Mediation Program

Mission

Provide a collaborative forum to explore innovative models utilizing the principles of restorative justice to create supplemental and/or alternative responses to crimes and disruptive behaviors committed by youth.

Goals

1. Empower victims and the community with an opportunity to educate offender(s) about the personal impact the crime/behavior had on the victim's lives.
2. Provide victims with direct involvement in the justice process.
3. Educate and inform victims, offenders and the community about the opportunity and benefits of mediation as an included response to crimes and disruptive behavior committed by youth offenders
4. Provide a safe and neutral opportunity for victims and offenders to jointly negotiate an agreement that addresses what must happen to make things as right as possible for all parties, which may include restitution.
5. Provide an opportunity for offenders to become personally accountable to the victim and the community by taking responsibility for making things as right as possible for all parties.
6. Reduce the burden upon law enforcement and the courts by decreased recidivism among youth offenders and mediated restitution agreements.