"An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure" VICTIM OFFENDER RESTITUTION SERVICES (VORS)
	VORS was launched in 1992 to provide mediation between juvenile victims and offenders. It was expanded countywide in 1996 at the request of the Presiding Judge of Juvenile Court. Serving first and second-time offenders, ages 7-17, VORS performs confidential mediations between juvenile offenders and their victims using community volunteers. It receives referrals from police, the courts, probation…etc. Mediation provides victims a safe place to: 1.express feelings and share their experience involving the crime, 2. explain how the crime affected them, 3. receive restitution for the crime, 4. get their questions answered about how and why this happened. Mediation provides the offender the opportunity to: 1. see and hear the victim, thereby "humanizing" the crime, 2. take responsibility for the crime, 3. apologize, verbally and/or in writing, 4. make restitution to the victim, in any way that the victim and offender choose (monetary payment, repair damage, and/or community service) , 5. keep a conviction off their record. The positive impact on the youth and the community is evident from the high rate of restitution (65% of restitution funds are collected), the low rate of recidivism (85% of juveniles are not re-arrested within one year), and other positive outcomes including marked improved academic performance, behavior at home, and attitude of the youth. VORS program has been nationally recognized as one of the largest and most effective victim offender restitution programs in the country. It has been named a Distinguished Public Service Program by the Federal Executive Board of Greater Los Angeles. This year VORS passed a milestone, having conducted over 2,000 mediations and collected over $100,000 in restitution. For More Information on VORS Click HERE! For An Application, Click HERE!