Thus, the extent to which preparation and followup are viewed as vital to success is one of the most interesting and important differences among the four restorative conferencing models. Mediation programs stress the importance of extensive victim and offender preparation prior to the mediation session. During these discussions, the mediator listens to each person describe how the crime affected him or her, gives an over-view of the mediation process, identifies its potential benefits, and invites each person to participate. Victim-offender mediation programs vary in their approach to monitoring and enforcement. In Vermont's reparative board programs, case preparation usually is limited to brief intake inter-views with offenders to gather information about the offense for the board hearings.
Boards can obtain basic information about victim losses from police, court, or probation records.
Nevertheless, some board programs increasingly are attempting to contact victims prior to hearings. Monitoring and enforcement policies and procedures are more formally developed in reparative boards than in other models. Family group conferencing. In New Zealand, preparation is viewed as critical for the success of family group conferences. Wagga Wagga model places much less emphasis on preparation, apparently in the belief that spontaneity is important.