Infographic: 20 Years of Restorative Opportunities
The past, present and future of this program
1989
CSC Mission statement: S.O. 1.10 “To ensure that the concerns of victims are taken into account in discharging our responsibilities.”
CSC funded the Victim Offender Mediation Program (VOMP), operated by the Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives Association (CJI), which focused solely on serious crime. This was the first application of RJ principles and processes to address serious offences in Canada
Feasibility study on victim-offender mediation in serious crime in Pacific Region by Community Justice Initiatives (CJI). Explored interest from victims and interest from offenders regarding participation. High levels of interest on both sides but victims expressed two conditions: not delivered by offender-focused CSC staff and that it not impact correctional decisions and sentence.
1991
Victim-Offender Mediation Program (VOMP) Pilot Project, Pacific Region CJI
1992
Launch 3-year evaluation report of VOMP
1995
Roberts, T. (1995). "Evaluation of the Victim-Offender Mediation Project, Langley, B.C.". Ottawa, Ontario: Solicitor General Canada, March 1995. Unanimous support for the program from all victim and offender respondents, victims reported high satisfaction, level of choice, found the experience empowering, gave them a sense of control.
1996
CSC creates the Restorative Justice and Dispute Resolution Branch (now known as Restorative Justice Division)
1997
CSC part of successful leadership team and presentations for the conference on “Achieving Satisfying Justice”.
1998
Framework Paper on Restorative Justice in CSC is finalized. Built into the Framework paper to guide CSC’s work in this emerging field and develop a National Steering Committee.
1999
National Steering Committee on Restorative Justice and Dispute Resolution (NSCRJDR) inaugural meeting held in Ottawa. Through Dispute Resolution Fund, 14 RJ Pilot Projects Supported with evaluation frameworks.
2003
CSC’s Executive Committee approves national expansion of VOMP based on proposal that included service delivery protocols for CSC.
2004
Restorative Opportunities RO is born following training of new English-speaking mediators and first RO annual training in Kingston, ON of the 9 mediators hired by CSC to start.
2005
Deliver 8-day advanced victim-offender mediation in serious crime training in French to develop new pool of qualified, French speaking RO mediator candidates.
2007
RO Referral Protocols: Victim Referrals and Institutional/ Community Offender Referrals via referral agents
2009
Deliver 8-day advanced victim-offender mediation in serious crime training to develop new pool of qualified RO mediator candidates at Algonquin College, Ottawa
2011
Publish Internal Service Directive (ISD785) for the RO program and victim-Offender Mediation Services
2013
Publish Commissioner Directive (CD785) for the RO program and Victim-Offender Mediation (VOM) Services
Published Stewart, L., Sapers, J., & Wilton, G. (2013). Preliminary Analysis of the Impact of the Restorative Opportunities (RO) Program in CSC (Research Snippet, RS 13-06). Ottawa, ON: Correctional Service Canada.
2015
Publish updated Commissioner’s Directive 785 RO and VOM services
RO updated in CD 784 Victim Services
Canadian Victims Bill of Rights includes RJ programs and services under victims’ Right to Information s.6b
Victim-offender mediation (VOM) services added to CCRA s.26.1(1) and (2)
Published Beaudette, J. N., & Thompson, J. (2015). The impact of offender participation in the Restorative Opportunities Program (Research Report, R-364). Ottawa, ON: Correctional Service Canada.
2016
Publish RO Guidelines 785-1 (GL785-1)
2017
Deliver 7-day advanced victim-offender mediation in serious crime training to develop new pool of qualified RO mediator English candidates at St. Paul University, Ottawa
RO protocol created for the National Victim Services Program
2018
Published Stewart, L. et al. (2018). The Impact of Offenders’ Participation in Victim Offender Mediation Sessions on Recidivism of Serious Offenders. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. Sage Publishing.
2019
Deliver 7-day advanced victim-offender mediation in serious crime training to develop new pool of qualified RO mediator French candidates in Quebec City, QC.
2021
Published Petrellis T. & Gustafson, D. L. (2021). Transforming lives: Demonstrating the power of victim-offender mediation for those who have experienced serious crime in Canada. Perspectives. The Journal of the American Probation and Parole Association, 45(2), 36-43.
End 2024
Currently, 24 RO Mediators working to deliver the program
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