Criminal mediation is a way of resolving criminal disputes in the United States of America and has been used extensively in this area, so the main example is (victim -offender) mediation, which raises the question of how does this system work? And what are its effects? So in this section we will discuss in (part one) how VOM works and what its effects are in (part two). Part one: how does victim-offender mediation (VOM) work? In general, mediation is directed by a neutral third party who, within his/her competence and ability, can concentrate on orienting the parties' behavior towards the discussion of the issues to be addressed, receiving separate and confidential communications from the parties until such time as reached a certain level of understanding with them that the conflict can be resolved. So, in my opinion, the role of the mediator is to try to achieve a balance between the two conflicting parties to encourage exchange and facilitate negotiations between them to reach a mutual solution that guarantees mutual satisfaction. However, victim-offender mediation (VOM) programs have focused on a restorative justice approach, which sees the actual victim of the crime as the party to be healed and the offender is held accountable for his or her actions. So it can be said that VOM programs focus on the relationship and healing the damage done to the victim. This type of programs takes place before the trial and involves the victim, the offender, the community to rebuild trust and resolve the criminal conflict in a fair way towards the parties. Victim-offender mediation offers victims of property crime and minor assaults the opportunity to meet the juvenile or adult offender... middle of paper..... .edition Dialogue Programs, available at address: www.vorp.com/articles/abaendors.html (last visited March 20, 2014) Maureen E. Fallen Remarks On Case-Management and Criminal Mediation 40 Idaho L. Rev. 580 (2003) IdMark S. Umbriel, Robert Coates, Betty Vos. Victim-offender mediation: three decades of practice and research, 22 conflict resolution. 287 - 288 (2004).IdIdId pag. 289-290Jo-Anne Wemmers, Katie Cyr What Fairness Means for Crime Victims: A Social-Psychological Perspective on Victim-Offender Mediation available at: http://www.apcj.org/documents/2_2_fairness.pdf last visited 3-21-2014 William Bradshaw, David Roseborough Restorative Justice Dialogue: The Impact of Mediation and Conferencing on Juvenile Recidivism available at: http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/federalcourts/pps/fedprob/2005-12/restorative.html last visited: 3-24-2014.