Row Officers

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Office of the Bucks County District Attorney

Victim/Offender Mediation (VOM)

For victims of DAI personal injury crimes

Over the past few years, victims of Driving After Imbibing Alcohol (DAI) cases have expressed a desire to meet with the offender who perpetrated the crime that caused them injury. In response to those requests, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole Office have introduced the Victim/Offender Mediation (VOM) program.

In Bucks County, the current VOM program is limited to DAI cases involving serious bodily injury and/or death to the victim.

WHAT IS VICTIM/OFFENDER MEDIATION?

VOM is a mediation process culminating in a meeting between the victim and the offender who committed the crime. This program provides an opportunity for the victim to express his/her feelings about the crime, to ask questions of the offender, and to convey the impact of the offense. This program also provides the opportunity for the offender to express remorse for having committed the crime, to accept responsibility for his/her actions and to make a positive change for the future.

WHO ARE THE FACILITATORS?

NOVA staff members work as the facilitators for the program. These individuals have specialized training in victim mediation through the Pennsylvania Office of the Victim Advocate. Their function is to prepare both parties for the meeting and to conduct the mediation process.

HOW DOES MEDIATION WORK?

The mediation process is typically initiated at the request of the victim by contacting NOVA, however, referrals can come from a variety of sources. Once the process is initiated, a NOVA facilitator will contact the offender to determine their level of cooperation and review the case for eligibility. If both parties wish to be involved and the case meets all eligibility requirements, the facilitator then meets with each party individually over the next several months to prepare both sides for the actual meeting. After the meeting occurs, the facilitator once again meets with both parties to evaluate the process. Progression through the steps involved in the process is dependant on both parties’ readiness for the actual meeting.

HOW CAN MEDIATION BENEFIT THE OFFENDER?

Mediation provides the offender the opportunity to:

• gain a better understanding of the impact of the crime on the victim’s life
• admit and take responsibility for the crime and its consequences
• express his/her feelings about the consequences of the crime
• begin to make positive changes so that the offender does not victimize someone in the future

HOW CAN MEDIATION BENEFIT THE VICTIM?

Mediation provides the victim with the opportunity to:

• meet the offender face to face in a safe environment
• be heard directly by the offender
• express to the offender the impact of the crime
• learn answers to questions that can only be answered by the offender

WHAT IS THE COST OF THE PROGRAM?

There is no cost to the parties to be involved in the program.

HOW DO I BEGIN?

To begin the process, contact the NOVA Victim/Offender Mediation Coordinator at the 24-hour toll free number:

1-800-675-6900

Office of the District Attorney
Bucks County Courthouse
55 East Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: 215-348-6344
Fax: 215-348-6299