"An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure" - Chinese proverb VICTIM OFFENDER RESTITUTION SERVICES (VORS)
	The Goal: Immediately after the 1992 LA civil unrest, CYS responds to the socioeconomic tension by launching VORS to prevent conflicts among youth before they escalate into long-term attachment to the justice system and furthering community violence. VORS brings first and second time juvenile offenders and their victims to the same table for mediation in hope of reaching an agreement for restitution in the form of cash or service. The program aims to rectify not only the crime but also the youth, by allowing them to feel for the victim and to realize the effects of their actions. The Process:VORS referrals come from police, juvenile courts, and probation offices, whereupon, staff and volunteers conduct mediation at a site convenient to the victim. These confidential sessions run between 1.5 to 2 hours. New VORS volunteers are trained thoroughly on conflict resolution skills and co-mediate with experienced mediators before handling cases single-handedly. VORS volunteers are spread throughout the county to cater to victims' preferred locations. At mediation, victims have the opportunity to express feelings and share their experience involving the crime, and how the crime affected them. They also get questions answered directly from the offender. The youth offender, in turn, has the opportunity to make restitution without getting sent back to the authority, and more importantly, to empathize with the victim and make an apology. The Results:Using restorative justice as an alternative to the punitive system has brought amazing results for the VORS program. The positive impact on the youth and the community is evident from   - The high rate of restitution (65% of restitution funds are collected),   - The low rate of recidivism (85% of juveniles are not re-arrested within a one year       follow-up), and   - Other positive outcomes such as improved academic performance, behavior in the home,       and overall attitude. CYS' VORS program has been nationally recognized as one of the largest and most effective victim offender restitution programs in the country. Due to its astounding success, in 1996 the Presiding Judge of Juvenile Court in LA County requested expansion of the program countywide.   - VORS was named 'Distinguished Public Service Program' by the Federal Executive Board       of Greater Los Angeles.   - VORS has conducted over 2,000 mediations and collected nearly $150,000 in restitution. For More Information on VORS Click HERE! For An Application, Click HERE!