Victim Offender Dialogue

Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) provides an opportunity for victims of violent crimes to have a structured, safe, one-on-one meeting with their offender. Victims are able to ask important questions that only the offender can answer.

The primary objective of this program is for the victim's voice to be heard and for the offender to fully understand the effects of his or her actions. The program's victim-centered approach requires that the request for VOD be initiated by the victims and demands that the preparation and dialogue process remain rooted in addressing the needs of those victims. The offender must voluntarily agree to participate and must acknowledge his/her role in the crime. 

VOD is not about forgiveness or reconciliation unless that is what the victim is seeking. VOD requires thorough and lengthy preparation with a trained facilitator. The facilitators, along with the participants decide when to move from the preparation phase to the face-to-face dialogue that takes place inside a correctional facility.