The Victim Services Program through The Washington State Department of Corrections has Relaunched their Victim-Offender Dialogue Program
The Washington State Department of Corrections, Victim Services Program, is excited to announce the relaunch of our Victim-Offender Dialogue (VOD) program. The VOD program provides an opportunity for victims or surviving family members of violent crime to have a one-time structured, facilitated meeting with the offender within a prison facility. The VOD program is centered around the needs of the victim/survivor and intended to assist with their healing and recovery from the crime. The VOD process can only be initiated by the victim/survivor. The process typically takes between six months to one-year or more to allow for adequate preparation time. During this time, victims/survivors work with our trained volunteer facilitators to process emotions surrounding the crime and clarify what they wish to accomplish through the process. Each case is carefully screened with the safety of all participants in mind, as not every case is appropriate for VOD. Victims and survivors choose to request VOD meetings for a variety of reasons, such as:
- Wanting the offender to hear the full impact of their victimization or loss.
- Trying to assess whether the inmate has changed or learned anything from the experience.
- Wanting to ask questions that only the offender can answer, such as why and how the crime occurred.
- Wanting to assess whether the offender poses a continuing threat if/when they are released from prison.
- Addressing lingering questions if they were not able to fully participate in the criminal court process.
- Wanting to ascertain whether the inmate is remorseful or has taken steps to change past patterns of behavior.
- Wanting to offer forgiveness.
For more information on the DOC Victim-Offender Dialogue program, please visit our website: Victim-Offender Dialogue | Washington State Department of Corrections For additional information or to initiate a VOD meeting request, please contact the Victim Services Program at #1-800-322-2201 or email us at [email protected]