Victim-Offender Dialogue
Victim-Offender Dialogue
Embedded Files
Using Victim-Offender Dialogue...
Supports conflict resolution
Allows victims to face offenders
Allows offenders to show remorse and make amends
Promotes reflection and perspective taking
Provides a sense of feeling 'heard'
Implementation
Implementation
Overview
Works best for addressing conflicts among small groups of students rather than class wide issues.
The victim and offender are asked for willingness to participate in a circle conference.
The conference is meant to separate the doer from the deed and provide all participates to share how the event has impacted them.
Participants are allowed to bring support to the conference.
It is very important for the facilitator to meet with the individuals involved in advance.
An agreement is created with all participants for restitution.
Light refreshments are provided afterwards.
The offender and facilitator will likely need to have several follow up conversations to ensure that progress is going smoothly; these can simply consist of brief check-ins.
Core Components
Prior to a conference, both parties agree to meet
Facilitated by a trained adult
The agreement made between parties is created by them and not influenced heavily by the facilitator or school rules.
Follow up action steps communicated
Proactive Implementation
Establishing a culture that allows for understanding, perspective, & empathy is required before using victim offender conferencing. This building may occur with circles and conferencing.
Responsive Implementation
Responsively implementing a victim offender dialogue should be only used with an experienced trainer. This means that students are familiar with the process and are willing to hold this conference from both sides. Each side must agree and have a premeeting with the facilitator.
Bucket Fits
Bucket Fits
Connection
If the need is connection then the dialogue should be used to repair the harm of the action.
Skills Training
If the need is skill building then students may receive support in how to express their feelings with visuals, prompting, or stems.
Awareness
If the need is awareness then the student should be supported in both expressing what harm they have felt and sharing the impact of that harm.
Emotional Regulation
If the need is regulation then the student should be allowed to pause the dialogue at any point and restart within the window.
Consider Factors Prior to Start
Student factors-
Gender, race, function, topography, family dynamics, interpersonal relationships
Contextual factors -
Resource availability, classroom instruction, physical space, time, technology
Intensifying or Fading During
Duration
Frequency
Feedback
Reinforcement
Goals
REMINDER
Make a note to document when you're starting this intervention.
After 10 consecutive school days of implementation, use collected data to determine the intervention's effectiveness.
Resource
Resource
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