Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program

Description

The recipient of the President's Daily Point of Light Award for making a difference through successful victim-offender mediation that results in high victim satisfaction and lower recidivism.

LAVORP is a program of Restorative Justice working with victims and offenders of juvenile crime. LAVORP was started in 1995 with a limited number of Volunteer Mediators and now has 58. Referrals (237 in 2002, involving over 600+ victims and offenders) are made by Juvenile Probation and Parole and Youth Aid Panels. Juveniles that work with LAVORP are 51% less likely to commit another crime and the rate of victim restoration is in the range of 85% to 90%. In addition to receiving the Daily Point of Light Award, the Final Report of the Lancaster Crime Commission (February 2002) endorsed LAVORP as a program that has a positive influence in the community with respect to dealing effectively with juvenile delinquency.