The CSJR has been organizing victim-offender encounters (VOE) both in prison environment and in communities of the Greater Montreal Area and other regions with the help of our local implementation committees (Eastern Townships, Montérégie, Mauricie-Centre of Quebec, Lanaudière and the Laurentians).
VOEs bring together individuals who have suffered or committed similar types of crimes, as well as other members of society who wish to engage in a restorative justice process based on encounters and dialogue. The members of society are an important part of the process as they may have been a victim or an accomplice of the crime addressed in the session.
VOEs can proceed in groups (approximately ten people) over a period of seven weeks or they can take the form of shorter face-to-face encounters over a period of three weeks. These meetings are led and monitored by two volunteer facilitators, one man and one woman, chosen for their interpersonal and professional merits.
The face-to-face sessions (3 participants) are also available in a more flexible schedule (1 to 3 encounters).
Our main objective is to create an open space for communication where victims and offenders can meet and express themselves freely, and begin to discuss and repair the consequences of crime.
Noticeable effects:
- Gain awareness of the crime’s impact
- Lessening of destructive emotional impact
- Mutual understanding of opposite parties and overcoming of prejudices
You can read a few witness reports in the testimonies section of our website.
For more information please consult the FAQ section.
How to participate ?
In order to participate, you can:
- Contact our Restorative Justice Officer for a first individual meeting (514-742-6631) or,
- Fill up our form (in French only)
Services are offered free of charge.