Victim Offender Mediation Association
Victim Offender Mediation Association Press Releases
Missed Opportunity for Peace: Restorative Justice and Jena Louisiana October 1, 2007.
VOMA Board response to the Dr. Phil shows airing February 1 and 2, 2007.
The Power of the Press When Used Properly
Restorative Justice, as a growing movement, is just starting to receive long awaited exposure in the national U.S. media. This creates tremendous opportunity for advocates and policymakers alike to capitalize on raising public awareness of RJ in our communities. In tandem, this can enable us to secure funding when the media is used properly. This in turn enables us to broaden our services.
The Oprah Magazine, O, in it's newly released April 2004 issue, features an in-depth RJ article, "After Violence, the Possibility of Healing," by award-winning journalist Jan Goodwin. The author powerfully presents a series of compelling cases that illustrate the practice and philosophy of RJ. O magazine reaches *15 million readers. The article is one of three funded by the Soros Foundation through a Media Fellowship awarded to Goodwin in 2002/3.
Marie Claire magazine, with *10 million readers, has a 2nd article by Goodwin in the May 2004 issue, "I Faced Down My Mother's Killer." The story presents the compelling case of Ami White and her grandmother meeting with inmate Gary Brown through the victim services program at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Scheduled to appear later this spring in Family Circle magazine is another feature article on RJ. This one with juvenile cases reaches *20 million readers, and again is a powerful portrayal of RJ in action.
And there is more exciting news! The Oprah Show, has taped a one-hour TV special focused on RJ. Broadcast dates will likely be in late April or early May. Stay tuned for an announcement of the exact date and time.
Additionally, more RJ publicity is on the horizon within the larger field of conflict resolution and peacemaking. Two organizations, Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), are devoting upcoming issues to RJ.
This is a chance for all of us to make the most of media's rising interest in RJ to promote RJ programs and philosophy, and generate even more positive press in our communities.
* approximate figures