Victim-offender mediation (reconciliation)

Victim-offender mediation is an alternative resolution route enabling victim and suspect to reach agreement through a mediator in offences listed by statute. Complaint-dependent offences and catalogued crimes such as the basic forms of intentional injury, threat and fraud fall within its scope.

For covered offences the file is sent to the mediation bureau, whose appointed mediator extends an offer to the parties. The agreed performance may be compensation, an apology or any other obligation the parties choose, and agreement without any performance is also possible. The process is confidential, and statements made within it cannot later be used as evidence.

Where agreement is reached and performed during the investigation, a non-prosecution decision follows; during trial, the case is dismissed. That no indictment may be issued in covered offences before this route is exhausted shows its force approaching that of a condition of prosecution. Declining the offer carries no adverse consequence for either party.