Victim-offender mediation in the Humboldt County justice system

Recent restructuring within the criminal justice system has generated a need to explore alternatives to retributive justice. Jurisdictions across the country have elected to invest and shift toward a restorative paradigm that acknowledges losses while building a better sense of community and holding offenders accountable. This thesis explores the viability of making such a shift in Humboldt County. Victim-offender mediation offers the opportunity to meet the needs of the victim through emotional, material and informational structures. Drawing on interviews and focus groups involving Humboldt County justice system takeholders, I provide recommendations on how to implement a victim-offender mediation program within the communities of Humboldt County. I use multiple theoretical approaches to explain a restorative justice approach and the likely effectiveness of implementing victim-offender mediation locally.