Summary
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Restorative justice practices are taking root around the country, however there is little empirical data related to restorative justice policies and programs. One such practice is VOM; the current article documents the existing statutory authority among States relating to the restorative justice practice of VOM in criminal cases. State code provisions are important for providing a framework for the implementation of VOM statewide. A LexisNexus search of all State codes using VOM language and types of activities produced 29 States that have VOM-related statutory authority. The comprehensiveness of the statutes ranged widely, with some including details related to training requirements, costs, evaluation, confidentiality, and liability, while others simply mentioned VOM as an alternative sentencing option. The specific provisions are discussed in turn. Statutory authority over VOM is important to establishing a standard through which practitioners can work; as the practice of VOM continues to grow, more States will begin to enact legislation governing its use as a criminal justice practice. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.
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