Answers to these questions can help dispel fear and promote healing. Victims have the opportunity to express their feelings about the impact of the crime. Victims have the opportunity to work out a written agreement to address their losses. Mediation has been shown to provide more durable agreements than other programs. Victims often experience a sense of closure regarding the crime.
Victims often experience a feeling of empowerment through participation in the mediation process.
Offenders have a voice in deciding how they can repair the harm they have done to the victim and community. This increases the likelihood of successful completion of the contract. Offenders are afforded an opportunity to develop empathy for the human consequences of crime. Offenders perform restorative community work service which promotes a bond with the community. In Deschutes County, VOMP handles adult and juvenile cases, primarily property crimes.