Advocates for increasing the use of victim-offender mediation in certain juvenile and criminal cases have asked us to post this informal survey to gather background information on current practices.

The survey seeks to collect information regarding the extent to which victim-offender mediation and other methods of informally resolving criminal cases are used in Texas, the degree of involvement of crime victims in these processes, and best practices in their implementation. The survey was jointly developed by Marc Levin, Director of the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and UT-Austin Social Work Professor Marilyn Armour and her graduate student Michael Balliro. 

The survey authors very much appreciate your time in responding to it and would welcome any additional comments you wish to provide. Please return the survey to Marc Levin, Center for Effective Justice, Texas Public Policy Foundation, 900 Congress, Suite 400, Austin, TX 78701 or via fax or email to (512) 472-2728 and mlevin@texaspolicy.com.

[Note:  TDCAA is posting this item as a service to its members.  Participants should expect the results of the survey to be used in future efforts to pass legislation such as HB 2437, a bill filed during the 80th Legislature to mandate increased usage of such mediations, so you should consider this an opportunity to be heard on such legislation before it gets filed again.  For more on that bill, click here:  http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB2437]