How Victim-Offender Dialogues (VODs) Work in California Prisons — What Families Should Know

A Victim-Offender Dialogue is a facilitated conversation between someone who was harmed and the person responsible for that harm. The goal? Create a structured space where the harmed person can be heard - and where the responsible person can take accountability in a direct, human way. These aren't informal conversations. Trained facilitators guide the process carefully. For families, think of a VOD as a specific restorative-justice program - not something you can arrange yourself through regular visits or messaging.

In California prisons, VODs and similar restorative processes are typically run by community-based organizations with trained staff. MEND is one example - they describe VODs as facilitated dialogues between harmed people and those who caused the harm. Healing Dialogue & Action is another organization known for survivor-facing restorative work, including survivor accompaniment. Not every prison uses the same providers, and options vary. Treat these as examples of who's involved, not a complete list.

CDCR's Accountability Letter Program (ALP) connects to this broader restorative-justice landscape through facilitator training. MEND, for instance, trains facilitators to incorporate CDCR's ALP into their restorative programming - helping bridge community-based processes with tools already built into the California prison system.

What This Means Families Next Steps

• ✓ Learn which restorative-justice providers work in California correctional settings (for example, MEND, and Healing Dialogue & Action).
• ✓ Ask your loved one what programming is available where they’re housed - availability can vary by institution and over time.
• ✓ Contact the prison’s reentry, rehabilitation, or programming staff and ask whether restorative-justice programming or Victim-Offender Dialogue opportunities exist, and what the referral process looks like.
• ✓ If your question is specifically about accountability letters, ask whether ALP-informed restorative approaches are used or recognized in any programming pathways.
• ✓ When you speak to any organization or staff member, ask what role the family can (and cannot) play - so you don’t accidentally pressure a process that’s meant to be carefully facilitated.

1. Get clear on what you’re asking for - Are you trying to understand what a VOD is, find a facilitator/provider, or confirm whether any restorative programming exists where your loved one is housed?
2. Reach out to a VOD/restorative provider - Ask whether they facilitate or support Victim-Offender Dialogues connected to California incarceration, and what their intake or screening process generally involves.
3. Ask about survivor support and accompaniment - If you’re speaking with an organization like Healing Dialogue & Action, ask what survivor accompaniment means in practice and who is eligible for support.
4. Contact prison programming or reentry staff - Ask whether restorative programming is available and, if so, how someone gets referred or considered. Keep your questions focused on process: who initiates, what paperwork (if any) is required, and what timelines tend to look like.
5. Keep expectations realistic and respectful - If a VOD is even possible, it’s typically handled through trained facilitators and a defined process. Your role as family is usually to support your loved one’s accountability work - not to negotiate contact directly with a harmed person.