VORP GIVES YOU A CHANCE

As you have admitted, you did something wrong. Someone was hurt by your actions. VORP gives you a chance to meet with this person -- not in the courtroom, but in a more relaxed setting.

Each of you will talk about the crime, and you will listen to one another. A specially trained volunteer mediator will help with this discussion. The two of you will talk about what was lost or damaged.

VORP gives you a chance to decide what you can do to repay or restore this loss. You will be helping to make things right again to the person you hurt. We believe this is important. Probably it is something you also want to do in order to feel better about yourself.

What is agreed to will be put in written form. Both of you will sign this agreement. VORP keeps in touch with you to make sure you are doing what you said you would do. We are also available if you have a problem.

VORP reports to the court the progress of your agreement. You will not be released from their supervision before this agreement is completed.

VORP is a community program begun in 1986 and operated by the Anderson County Community Mediation Services. We are separate from both the court system and the probation department.

A volunteer mediator with VORP will soon be contacting you. This volunteer will explain more about our program and answer your questions. No one participates in VORP unless he or she is willing to do so.

VORP gives you a chance:

• to talk with the person you hurt,
• to make decisions,
• to help make things right again,
• to feel better about yourself.