Cases will be assigned by the
Coordinator as soon as possible. Within 72 hrs of receiving a
referral, the facilitator will:
Contact the referral source to confirm all information was received.
Create a case file.
Send out an offender/family letter with program brochure.
Facilitator will document ALL contacts with the victim, offender, or any collateral sources. Documentation will be done by computer in the Activity/Progress Notes format.
Within one week of the introductory letter being sent, the facilitator will contact the offender/family to set up a pre-conference meeting. The pre-conference may be held at Goodwill, in the client’s home, or at some other appropriate, yet private, meeting place. The facilitator should not meet with a juvenile client in their home alone. A parent or other responsible family member should be present.
Link to required Forms Folder 2
At the offender pre-conference, the Facilitator will follow the Pre-Conference Interview Guidelines. The Release of Information Form will also need to be explained and signatures obtained. If the offender is willing and deemed to be an appropriate candidate for a Victim – Offender Conference, get several dates that might work out for a full conference. If the offender is unwilling to meet with the victim, explain that the referral will be sent back to the referral source and the case will take the normal legal route. If the offender is willing, but the facilitator does not feel the offender is a good candidate at this time, state that you will discuss the case with the Coordinator and get back to them.
In cases where no victim is identified on the referral form, (i.e. Family Group Conferencing [FGC], Youth Educational Shoplifting Program [Y.E.S.], and Youth Restitution Project [YRP].), treat the family members as the victims and proceed directly to a full-conference (#7). A pre-conference with the family members is not necessary for these types of cases.
After the offender pre-conference, a victim introductory letter and brochure is mailed. If however, you have questions as to the readiness of the offender to meet with the victim, hold off on sending such a letter until you have discussed this with the Coordinator.
Link to required Forms Folder 4
Within one week of the introductory letter being sent, a facilitator will contact the victim to set up a pre-conference meeting. The pre-conference may be held at Goodwill, in the victim’s home, or at some other appropriate, yet private, meeting place. The facilitator should not meet with a teen victim in their home alone. A parent or other responsible family member should be present.
Link to required Forms Folder 5
At the victim preconference, the Facilitator will follow the Pre-Conference Interview Guidelines. If the victim is willing to meet with the offender, suggest the dates given to you by the offender. If these dates do not work for the victim, collect some other possible dates and decide on a meeting place for the conference. If the victim is unwilling to meet with the offender, ask the victim what they feel the offender might do to make things better. State that you will suggest these things to the offender and will get back to the victim on the status of the case. If both parties are willing to participate in a victim-offender conference however; schedule and confirm a date, time, and place for the conference. It is best to find a neutral place that both parties will feel comfortable with (i.e. Goodwill Community Room, school conference room, library conference room, etc.).
Link to required Forms Folder 6
During a full conference (VOC or FGC), the following things will need to be covered: the Consent to Participate Form, the conference interview (follow the Conference Facilitator’s Script), the Agreement Form, and the Participation Surveys (voluntary). The follow-up of the case should be discussed between the Coordinator and Facilitator and a plan will be made to bring the case to a successful completion.
For referrals such as the Youth Educational Shoplifting Program a Family Conference is held and an agreement (use Family Conferencing Agreement Form) is made between the family members. For those referred for the Restitution Project, a Victim-Offender Conference may have already taken place. If the teen has made an agreement with the victim, but needs assistance earning the funds, the teen and their parent/s will sign the Restitution Agreement Form. If a Victim-Offender Conference did not take place, and is not asked for on the referral, a Family Conference is held and the Restitution Agreement Form is used.
Note: Copies of the Agreement Forms are given to the parties at the conference, if the Facilitator has access to a copier, or mailed to them shortly after the conference. Pre-conference notes, Conference notes, the Agreement Form, and the Release of Information are all sent to the referral source after the conference takes place.
Once the case is complete, the Facilitator will be responsible for sending a Closure Memo to the offender and victim. A letter is also sent to the victim and offender, thanking them for their participation.
The Closure Memo and copies of any other documentation (i.e. apology letters, community service logs, AODA related attendance records, etc) are sent to the referral source on the closure date.
A statistical sheet will be completed by the Facilitator and placed in the file. Statistical data will also be entered into the Excel program designed for this purpose.
The Coordinator will do a Case Review, before the file is placed in the file cabinet with the other closed cases.