Facilitated dialogue, also referred to in corrections as victim-offender dialogue, is a structured meeting between the people who have perpetrated crimes and those affected by them, including individuals and communities. When overseen by a trained facilitator, these meetings can be key to removing the emotional and psychological barriers that prevent people on both ends from finding healing and closure after traumatic events.
In response to a dual agency request for technical assistance, the National Institute of Corrections provided support to the Oregon and Washington State Departments of Corrections with facilitated dialogue training. The two agencies hosted the training on March 13–17, 2023, at the Oregon Department of Corrections. Twenty-four agency employees and local volunteers were prepared to work in facilitated dialogue programs. Participants throughout each partnering state received funding from NIC to allow them to be part of this program.
