Victim-Offender Mediation - A South African Experience
| Author | Anette Venter, Pedro Rankin |
| Pages | 25-35 |
Victim-Offender Meditation – A South African Experience
25
VICTIM-OFFENDER MEDIATION – A
SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
Anette Venter, Department of Social Services, North West Province,
South Africa, and Pedro Rankin, Associate Professor, North-West
University, South Africa
Abstract
This paper is a summary of a Master’s degree research project on Victim Offender
Mediation practice in South Africa. The purpose of the study was to determine the needs
of both victims and offenders regarding Victim Offender Mediation and also to identify
the skills needed by probation officers to do Victim Offender Mediation. The data was
gathered by making use of three focus groups consisting of victims, offenders and social
workers working as probation officers. Interviews were conducted according to an
interview framework.
The findings showed a remarkable tolerance by the victims of the deeds of the offenders
and a compassion for them. The offenders in turn expressed a need to apologise to the
offenders for what they had done. Probation officers felt that specialised training is
necessary to conduct a successful Victim Offender Mediation session and that generic
training in social work is not sufficient.
Key Words: Restorative justice, Victim Offender Mediation, probation officers, Ubuntu, South
Africa, Victim Offender Mediation skills.
Background
This paper is a report on a MA research project undertaken at the North-West University
Potchefstroom, completed during the first term of 2006.
The Goals of the Project
The overall goal of the project was to develop guidelines for Victim Offender Mediation
conducted by probation officers in South Africa. It had the following objectives:
• To determine the needs of both victims and offenders regarding mediation.
• To explore the skills needed by practitioners to do Victim Offender Mediations
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