in the modern context, restorative justice originated in the 1970s as mediation or reconciliation between victims and offenders. in 1974 mark yantzi, a probation officer, arranged for two teenagers to meet directly with their victims following a vandalism spree and agree to restitution. the positive response by the victims led to the first victim-offender reconciliation program, in kitchener, ontario, canada, with the support of the mennonite central committee and collaboration with the local probation department. the concept subsequently acquired various names, such as victim-offender mediation and victim-offender dialogue as it spread through north america and to europe through the 1980s and 1990s.