Discussions
Both the victim and the offender have the chance to take part in a face-to-face discussion with the assistance of a trained coordinator. Parents / Guardians of juveniles are involved with every phase of the discussion. Everyone can explore what happened, discuss how the crime impacts each person and decide what can happen to right the wrong done.
Restorative Justice Program
Victim Offender Conferencing is a Restorative Justice Program. People wronged by crime often say that it is important to have the justice system recognize the harm done. All referrals for a conference meet with the VOC Coordinator in a face-to-face meeting before the conference to make sure the program is appropriate for everyone involved. This is a time for victims and offenders to ask questions about anything they are unsure of.
Every effort is made to complete the VOC process as quickly as possible. The time needed to complete the process will vary with each situation.
Crime Victims
During the conference, victims have a chance to talk to the offender. They can ask any questions they have. They can share the impact that the crime has had on them and/or their family and talk about what they need in order to move forward.
Crime victims often have questions which only their offender can answer. VOC provides a way for this discussion to take place in a safe, controlled environment.