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This study focuses on victim-offender dialogue files archived by Ohio's Office of Victim Services (OVS). The OVS director was interested inknowing why only one in four initiated dialogue files complete actual face-to-face dialogue. Victim offender dialogue programs based on restorative justice theory have been shown to increase victim and offender satisfaction, decrease offender recidivism, and increase the rate of restitution. An archived data analysis on a sample (N ϭ 212) of OVS completed and will-not-proceed files revealed offender race did not have a significant effect on dialogue completion rate. However, victim sex was found to have a significant effect on dialogue completion. Included are descriptive analyses of victims' stated motivations for seeking dialogue. Victims who state specific motivations for participation in dialogue were no more likely to complete dialogue than those who did not. Results lead to several suggestions regarding other uses of restorative dialogue in the contexts of severe crime and felonies.

Research on hidden profiles (G. Stasser, 1988) reveals that groups often have trouble utilizing unshared information and making the optimal decision in decision-making contexts. However, a directive group leader advocating the best decision can help a group overcome this problem (M. G. Cruz, D. D. Henningsen, & B. A. Smith, 1999). The current study examines how a leader's access to information affects the quality of group decisions and information sharing. In addition, how leader selection processes affect leader influence is considered. Overall, evidence is found indicating a leader's access to information and leader selection processes influence group discussions and decision quality.

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As the research and practice of restorative justice has grown, conversations have been ongoing about how to define and evaluate such practices. In this conceptual review, we argue for the utility and importance of adopting a communication perspective (Pearce, 1989, Communication and the human condition. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, IL.) for defining, evaluating, and practicing restorative justice. We begin by describing a communication perspective before reviewing scholarly literature regarding defining and evaluating restorative justice. We also illustrate how a communication perspective can prompt useful questions about defining, evaluating, facilitating, and administering restorative justice. We conclude with a discussion of implications for research, facilitation, and organizational administration.