Offenders are provided opportunities and encouragement to understand the harm they have caused to victims and the community and to develop plans for taking appropriate responsibility. However, offenders may be required to accept their obligations if they do not do so voluntarily. Obligations that follow from the harm inflicted by the crime should be related to making things right. Obligations may be experienced as difficult, even painful, but are not intended as pain, vengeance or revenge. Obligations to victims such as restitution take priority over other sanctions and obligations to the state such as fines.
Offenders have an obligation to be active participants in addressing their own needs.
The community's obligations are to victims and to offenders and for the general welfare of its members. The community has a responsibility to support and help victims of crime to meet their needs. The community bears a responsibility for the welfare of its members and the social conditions and relationships which promote both crime and community peace. The community has responsibilities to support efforts to integrate offenders into the community, to be actively involved in the definitions of offender obligations and to ensure opportunities for offenders to make amends. The needs of victims for information, validation, vindication, restitution, testimony, safety and support are the starting points for justice.