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The
Victim
Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) helps victims voice
their grievances and bring
about closure, and it provides offenders insight into how
their actions affected the victims. Mediators help
victims and offenders meet safely face to face, and agree on a
reconciliation
plan, where the offender meets the victims needs and requests for
restitution. This can be monetary or community service and is generally
a combination. The offenders also sign a contract
that is recognized by the courts as meeting their obligations to the
court. Re-offense rates are much lower among participants than in the
general population of offenders.
The
VORP program was founded as a Mennonite Church program by Mennonites in
Kitchner,
Ontario.
Boulder Mennonite began "VORP of Boulder"
in 1993, using a volunteer from the MVS program as a part time
director. This program is no longer is needed in Boulder as this
program is now part of the justice system in Boulder County and the City
of Boulder and City of Longmont. The VORP of Boulder charter is now
used in Denver for a VORP program run for the Denver Public School
system. |
