Chapter 13: DIVERSION, ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, AND SPECIALTY COURTS

Question 1

decriminalization

Answer 1

legislative action whereby an act or omission, formerly criminal, is made noncriminal and with out punitive sanctions

Question 2

restorative justice

Answer 2

mediation between victim and offender whereby offenders accept responsibility for their actions and agree to reimburse victims for their losses

Question 3

alternative dispute resolution (ADR)

Answer 3

procedure whereby a criminal case is redefined as a civil one and the case is decided by an impartial arbiter, where both parties agree to amicable settlement. Reserved for minor offenses

Question 4

stigmatization

Answer 4

social process whereby offenders acquire undesirable characteristics as a result of imprisonment or court appearances

Question 5

mediation

Answer 5

informal conflict resolution through the intervention of a trained negotiator who seeks a mutually agreeable resolution between disputing parties

Question 6

impartial arbiters

Answer 6

persons such as judges, attorneys or prominent citizens who are called upon to be objective and neutral third parties in disputes between perpetrators and their victims under conditions of restorative justice or alternative dispute resolution

Question 7

victim impact statement

Answer 7

informations or version of events filed voluntarily by the victim of a crim, appended to the psi report as a supplement for judicial consideration in sentencing the offender.

Question 8

victim compensation programs

Answer 8

any plans for assisting crime victims in making social, emotional, and economic adjustment

Question 9

victim offender reconciliation

Answer 9

any agreement between the victim and the perpetrator concerning a satisfactory arrangement for compensation for injuries or financial losses sustained

Question 10

victim offender reconciliation project (VORP)

Answer 10

form of alternative dispute resolution, whereby a civil resolution is made by mutual consent between the victim and an offender; objectives are to provide restitution to victims, hold offender accountable for crime committed and to reduce recidivism

Question 11

pretrial diversion

Answer 11

removing a case from the criminal justice system, while a defendant is required to comply with various conditions

Question 12

diversion programs

Answer 12

one of several programs preceding formal court adjudication at charges against defendants

Question 13

community service

Answer 13

an alternative sanction requiring offenders to work in the community at such tasks

Question 14

restitution

Answer 14

stipulation by the court that offenders must compensate victims for their financial losses resulting from crime .

Question 15

community service orders

Answer 15

judicially imposed restitution for those convicted of committing crimes some form of work must be performed to satisfy restitution requirements

Question 16

reparations

Answer 16

damages assigned to be paid by a defendant a defendant found liable in a civil action

Question 17

Victims of Crime Act of 1984

Answer 17

significant act that authorized establishment of U.S. Sentencing Commission, instituted sentencing guidelines provided for abolition of federal parole, and devised new guidelines and goals of federal corrections

Question 18

specialty courts

Answer 18

courts set up as an alternative to traditional criminal court processing and that focus on specific type of offense or offenders