Participant

Comment

Family

Everything was great. Keep helping youth with their problems, they need it so much. Very well done, thank you.

Law Enforcement

I think you guys do a great job. I feel blessed to have been able to watch, learn and grow—and to see how it was truly restorative for both the victim and the offender.

Law Enforcement

The plan the young offender had to follow was far more thorough than any probation or jail time he would have received. Nice work.

Law Enforcement

Sometimes in my line of work I can be skeptical of things, but I truly believe your program works.

Law Enforcement

I think this program gives the most meaningful and personal consequences. Instead of being rushed through the system, young offenders have to truly face their actions.

Law Enforcement

Each conference is conducted very professionally and efficiently. Everyone in attendance has an opportunity to speak and express their feelings.

Law Enforcement

All involved parties had an opportunity to express their views and concerns about the impact of the suspect’s actions.

Law Enforcement

The conference was a special time and done well. The offender followed through with his end of the bargain.

Offender

The conference gave me a better perspective on life. Now I think before I act.

Offender

All the hate was gone after we talked.

Offender

The most meaningful part was the contact with the victim, because I found out what harm I had caused the family.

Offender

The conference was so personal—that gave it a lot of impact.

Offender

I learned that before you act, you should think twice.

Offender

The conference showed me another side of my parents, sister, and boyfriend. I understand how I affected them also, and how much they really want me to do better.

Offender Support

The best way you can improve your program is to expand and offer it to more young people and crime victims!

Offender Support

It gave everyone an opportunity to express to my nephew how his actions affected them. It was important for him to hear this. It helped him take a better path.

Offender Support

The fact that there was a process to make amends other than punishment helped her learn to take responsibility for her actions.

Offender Support

I was deeply moved by the change of heart the victim’s mother had toward the offender.

Offender Support

This process is far more productive than confinement.

Offender Support

The conference really helped people get their feelings out in the open. It gave the family of the victim a change to give input into the plan. This was very effective.

Offender Support

Your staff show genuine concern and support.

Offender Support

We were able to hear each others’ sides. This made it very meaningful.

Offender Support

I was impressed with the genuine concern for the offender and the many ideas presented for his benefit.

Offender Support

The conference was a profound example of how things should work in the world. I am very glad to have the chance to participate.

Offender Support

I was very impressed with the conference I attended, with the thoughtful preparation leading up to it, and with the consistent and comprehensive support and accountability to help the offender complete the program successfully.

Offender Support

Our facilitator was excellent! She addressed the most important issues and was direct and fair with the offender. He really learned a lot.

Other

The full process from start to finish was very powerful for our offender.

Other

I love being a part of this process.

Other

The conference was a safe place to come together and communicate. We saw the offender begin to understand the impact his actions. It was much more meaningful than any punitive measures.

Other

This process helped her become aware of the seriousness of her substance abuse problem. It really increased her motivation to be drug free.

Other

The conference was a powerful experience of reconciliation.

Parent

Thanks for your support, kindness and understanding.

Parent

I hope you can expand this program so more young people can have the same opportunity my daughter had.

Parent

Everything was very good; it helped us very much, especially our son.

Parent

You have a great program. Thank you for all your help!

Parent

For my child, the consequences of his actions became real; it became a crime with a face. It allowed him to understand how he impacted his victim.

Parent

The conference was an excellent forum for everyone to express their feelings about what happened. Staff were excellent!

Parent

This process helped me understand that I wasn’t alone in trying to deal with a mistake my son had made.

Parent

The program provided all parties involved the opportunity to heal from the offense. The plan addressed everyone’s concerns.

Parent

One of the things that made this conference so powerful for my son was that he had to face his victims’ anger and hurt. That had a lot of impact on him.

Parent

Your staff was wonderful and very instrumental in changing our daughter’s attitude. It made her come to terms with her offense and deal with it. She has changed in a very positive way.

Parent

After a shaky start, our son positively bloomed as he completed his contract. He seems so much happier now.

Probation

The conference addressed deep issues and by the end of it there was a plan to address those issues and move on with life.

Victim

I learned a lot from the creation of the plan in the conference. It is an excellent evolutionary process. As the victim who reported the event I appreciated the ongoing contact with the young offender as he completed a part of his plan. I hope that contact helped him see and understand the human element involved in and affected by  his actions.

Victim

Although the conference was very difficult, I think it was very effective and meaningful. It brought everybody together in one place and let us see and experience each others’ humanity.

Victim

What was most meaningful was getting to tell my story and my experience to the young offender directly. I felt involved in a healing process rather than a process that was merely punitive.

Victim

A great opportunity for the offender to really see the harms their action caused.

Victim

An outstanding conference—in my opinion, much better than jail time for the perpetrator.

Victim

I appreciate being able to meet the offenders face-to-face and express the impact their action had on me.

Victim

The follow through after the conference was spot on.

Victim Support

The circle was a transformative experience, even for the arresting officer.

Victim Support

The whole process was quite unique because it addressed all sides of the issue.

Victim Support

It gave my daughter a chance to heal from her experience.

Victim Support

Not only did this process powerfully advocate for the victim, we came away with hope for the offender’s rehabilitation.