CDCR’s Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services has awarded more than $1.3 million in grants to vital community partners as to empower restorative justice practices across the state.
The money was awarded by OVSRS at the first-ever Victim Offender Dialogue Program (VOD) Grantee Conference in Los Angeles in December. California Governor Gavin Newsom dedicated the funds to be used for restorative justice programs from the Inmate Welfare Fund.
“This is a very historic and exciting day that victims have long waited for,” OVSRS Assistant Chief Katie James said. “To see this program come to fruition and for the support of both the Administration and the Governor’s office confirms the Department’s desire and commitment to restorative justice, growth and healing for the victims.”
Learn about the grant recipients
The funds were awarded to community organizations:
- Re:store Justice,
- Ahimsa Collective,
- Healing Dialogue and Action,
- and Restorative Justice Mediation Program.
The VOD program, featured heavily in the 2019 CNN original series The Redemption Project with Van Jones, is a victim-initiated process, which allows the victims of crime or surviving family members and the incarcerated person who committed the offense to meet face-to-face in a safe and secure environment.
VOD explained
Though this may not be for every survivor, the experience of talking directly with the person who committed the offense can enable survivors to give full voice to some of the pain and trauma they have experienced. At the same time, when incarcerated people are able to listen and respond to them, and to give voice to the complexity of feelings about what they have done, they can better understand the devastating effects of their crimes, and how they came to be capable of such behaviors.
OVSRS awarded $643,595 to the four organizations for the first round of grant funding (from Dec. 1, 2019, to Nov. 29, 2020) and another $676,827 for year No. 2 (Dec. 1, 2020, to Nov. 29, 2021). The funds allow them to secure and train more facilitators and travel to assist more victims and offenders. The VOD facilitators travel throughout California to work with both parties. This helps them navigate the healing process in hopes to one day have a dialogue.
Formed in 1988, the mission of OVSRS is to give crime victims and their families a voice. The formation of the office has laid the groundwork for enforcing victims’ rights and providing services.
Read up on the bevy of services provided by OVSRS on the website.
By Office of Public and Employee Communications
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