The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) would like to offer special thanks to authors Mark S. Umbreit, Ph.D., Director, and Jean Greenwood, M.Div., former Training Coordinator, of the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking (formerly the Center for Restorative Justice & Mediation), School of Social Work, University of Minnesota. We would also like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of review and commentary made by Carolyn McLeod, Coordinator of Victim-Offender Conferencing for Washington County Court Services in Minnesota; Marlene Young, Executive Director of the National Organization for Victim Assistance; and Ann Warner Roberts in her dual role as both the Community Outreach Director of the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking, University of Minnesota School of Social Work, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Victim-Offender Mediation Association (VOMA).

We recognize the valuable contribution of other members of the Board of Directors of VOMA who played a critical role in providing input and the VOMA mailing list that was the foundation of the national survey of programs and the guidelines presented in this document. We also thank the many staff who took the time to participate in the Center's phone interviews about victim-offender mediation program and practices. In addition, we would like to acknowledge the valuable contribution made by Robert Schug, Administrative Aide at the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking, who spent many hours preparing the document and responding to numerous requests for draft copies.

This project also benefited greatly from the contributions, guidance, and support of Susan Laurence, the Project Manager at OVC. This Restorative Justice and Mediation Collection is the result of the efforts of many individuals in the field who generously shared their materials and experiences with the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking so that victims may be provided with additional options in the process of healing.