Can mediation be therapeutic for crime victims? An evaluation of victims' experiences in mediation with young offenders

Victims' experiences in the justice system may help or hinder their healing process. Restorative justice aims to heal the suffering caused by victimization (Zehr 2002). However, some victim advocates have expressed concern that restorative justice may augment victims' suffering. This article presents the results of an evaluation of the experiences of crime victims who were invited to participate in a mediation program. Using therapeutic jurisprudence as a framework, the study looks at how victims' fear was affected by the program and whether their participation in the program helped with their recovery.