The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that:

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(1) Restorative justice programs, including facilitated dialogues and responsibility letter banks, can promote justice and healing for crime victims and survivors and can aid persons temporarily assigned to a youth correction facility under ORS § 137.124 or 420.011 and adjudicated youths in the process of rehabilitation;

(2) A facilitated dialogue or responsibility letter bank program is most successful when the participants are able to communicate openly and honestly about the crime or act that, if committed by an adult, would constitute a crime and about the impact of that crime or act knowing that the participants’ communication will not be disclosed to other people or used against them later; and

(3) It is the policy and purpose of ORS § 420A.300 to 420A.315 that Oregon Youth Authority facilitated dialogue and responsibility letter bank program communications are confidential and should not be admissible in any administrative, judicial or arbitration proceeding, except pursuant to limited exceptions established by the Oregon Youth Authority by rule. [2021 c.474 § 1; 2023 c.9 § 36]