The Victim

True rehabilitation cannot be achieved until an offender acknowledges the harm caused to victims and communities and makes the appropriate amends. Likewise, achieving a safe and secure community requires attention to victims' needs and ultimately, the adoption of restorative processes such as effective community dispute resolution and mediation.

Victims, communities, and offenders, all serve an essential role in sanctioning offenders-by defining and identifying ways to repair the harm, while also preventing future harm. Criminologist Leslie Wilkins observed, "The problem of crime cannot be simplified to the problem of the criminal." Therefore, the needs of victims, offenders and communities cannot be effectively addressed in isolation from one another.

Deschutes County's Juvenile Community Justice Department operates under the premise that when an offense occurs, a corresponding obligation to victims and the community is incurred. We encourage all victims to actively participate in the justice process by including them in the following ways:

• Considering the choice to become involved (to the extent possible/with appropriate assistance), in all stages of the justice process.
• Providing information throughout the juvenile justice process about the financial, physical, and emotional impact resulting from the crime.
• Offering input regarding accountability sanctions for offenders.