VORP

The Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) began in Fresno County in 1982 as the first of its kind program to provide a restorative approach to the juvenile justice system. From its first year handling eighty-five youth cases, the program has expanded each year and now includes restorative services for adults and an insight awareness course for the community. (You can learn more about the first 34 years of the VORP program here.)

The goal of the program is to restore and heal the relationship between the party that was harmed and the party that caused the harm. This is done through a mediation process called a group conference where both parties can express their pain, remorse, and efforts to heal. Rather than a punitive approach, this process puts the emphasis on relationships and the healing that can happen when individuals come together to repair harm and community.

Now in its nearly 40 years, VORP has served thousands of youth and families in this restorative approach to harm  and has successfully kept these individuals out of the criminal justice system.

Additional Services Offered

1.) Insight Awareness Courses

• • Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (CBI) – These sessions consist of 1-to-1 and group circle processes with experienced, formerly incarcerated, certified AOD/OMCP CJC instructors.
  • CBI sessions are offered weekly, (10-12 sessions total) and are 90-minutes each. These sessions focus on conflict resolution, anger management, drug/alcohol counseling, denial management, Thinking for a Change, aggression replacement, gang intervention, victim impact, and restorative justice. 

2.) Insight Awareness DUI (Driving Under the Influence)

• • Insight Awareness DUI is offered for youth with DUI charges through referrals made by the Court, Public Defenders, District Attorney, or Probation Department.
  • The program includes DUI classes. Each session consists of group circle processes with experienced, formerly incarcerated, certified AOD/OMCP CJC instructors.
  • DUI sessions are offered weekly to youths (8-10 sessions total) and are 90 minutes each. Sessions focus on understanding the addiction cycle, tools to use during recovery, understanding yourself and your relationship, coping strategies for life, pulling it all together, victim impact, restorative justice, and substance abuse.