Victims' Voices Heard

Victims' Voices Heard gives victims of violent crime the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the person who committed a violent crime against them. Meeting with the offender can provide victims with the opportunity to hear the offender take responsibility for the crime and express their remorse. The dialogue is in large part a transfer of power from offender to victim. Our program is based around the restorative justice concept. Restorative justice aims to center the justice process more on the needs of the victim than the need to punish the offender - creating a process that encourages healing and transformation. It puts key decisions into the hands of those most affected by the crime, the victim. It enables their voice to be Heard by the person responsible for creating the harm. At the same time, restorative justice attempts to reduce the likelihood of future crimes through dialogue and having offenders see for themselves the harm their actions have caused.