concepts and forms of victim services john dussich

(1)

Concepts and Forms of

Victim Services

John P. J. Dussich

(2)

Definition of Victim Services



Victim

services

are those activities which are

applied in response to victimizations

with the

intention of

relieving suffering and facilitating

recovery

. This includes providing information,

making assessments, conducting individual

interventions, engaging in social advocacy,

(3)

Providing information

 The vast number of The vast number of victims have one major common needvictims have one major common need

often overlooked: obtaining simple information about what

happened to them, what is likely to happen and what their role

will likely be in this process. This includes very

will likely be in this process. This includes very basic basic information about where to get services

information about where to get services, what the telephone , what the telephone numbers are, the hours of operation for the various community

numbers are, the hours of operation for the various community

agencies, where to get shelter, food, clothing, and advice. This

is not an intervention and does not require face to face contact.

It can be provided in many forms, e.g.: flyers, brochures,

internet, radio & TV, announcements, newspapers

(4)

Making assessments



All

interventions

, be they simple counselings

or complex psychotherapies,

require a

complete assessment

prior

to providing

services. This should be a comprehensive

psycho-social evaluation of the victim as soon

after the victimization as possible. The main

objective of an assessment is

to determine the

extent of injury and to propose a treatment

plan

so as to relieve the existing suffering and

facilitate recovery as soon as possible.

(5)

Conduct individual interventions

 The The objectiveobjective of an intervention is to of an intervention is to useuse a clinical a clinical

method

method of interacting with a victim of interacting with a victim that has the that has the

potential to relieve as much suffering as possible and

to hasten a return to normal functioning without

significant symptoms

significant symptoms – – recoveryrecovery..

 RecoveryRecovery should be the should be the end product of all end product of all

interventions

interventions. Recovery must be defined . Recovery must be defined

and the criteria recognized and agreed upon

by the service delivery community so as to

be able to gauge when it is appropriate to

cease the interventions.

(6)

Engage in social advocacy

 Social advocacy has two forms: 1. Social advocacy has two forms: 1. standing in standing in

place of the victims

place of the victims to assert the delivery of needed to assert the delivery of needed services (often referred to as “

services (often referred to as “case advocacycase advocacy”); and, ”); and,  2. 2. representing victims generally as a classrepresenting victims generally as a class,, so as so as

to promote the awareness of the victim’s plight, to

insure that appropriate changes are made in the

manner in which necessary services are available and

delivered; and, to promote new laws on behalf of all

victims (often referred to as “

(7)

Propose public policy



The area of public policy addresses attending

to all forms of

victim rights

. At all levels of

governance it is critical to have written

policy

and laws

that articulate how victims should be

treated. This touches upon criminal, civil and

administrative law as well as regulations used

to operate public agencies. Since victim rights

is a relatively new concern, many existing laws

(8)

Working in program development

 Perhaps one of the most rewarding areas of victim services is in programPerhaps one of the most rewarding areas of victim services is in program development. This is the work of managing victims directly and responding to

development. This is the work of managing victims directly and responding to

Their immediate, intermediated and long range needs within the context of

accommodating the victim, the criminal justice

system, the offender and the community.

 The ultimate The ultimate objective is to objective is to create a create a

Program that reduces suffering, facilitates

victim recovery, provides justice, renders the

offender rehabilitated and heals the

community at large

(9)

Victim Service Models

 As the field of victim services evolved the type and As the field of victim services evolved the type and

number of programs became more varied and larger

in number. Today there are service programs all over

the world that have different hosts, are different sizes

and serve different types of victims at different stages

in the criminal justice system as well as those outside

the CJS. Basically there are

the CJS. Basically there are four typesfour types: : victim victim

advocacy programs, victim/witness programs, special

interest advocacy programs and victim ombudsman

programs

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Victim Advocacy Programs

These programs evolved from the original victim ombudsman concept and has These programs evolved from the original victim ombudsman concept and has developed into a variety of forms serving different needs and perspectives of

developed into a variety of forms serving different needs and perspectives of

communities around the globe. The original form is housed within a law

enforcement agency. It usually is able to respond most expeditiously to victims

(compared to other models) because of its proximity to police operations. Victims

who are contacted immediately after a crime, express greater satisfaction than those

who are contacted later. Other possible advocate program locations are: county

manager’s offices; county attorney’s offices; religious missions; probation

departments; volunteer organization; state attorney’s offices; and, special interest

non-governmental organizations.

The typical persons who deliver victim services are: police; victim-survivors; social The typical persons who deliver victim services are: police; victim-survivors; social workers; probation officers; psychologists; volunteers; lawyers; nurses; and

workers; probation officers; psychologists; volunteers; lawyers; nurses; and

psychiatrists.

(11)

Victim Witness Programs

 These type programs evolved from a general concern by prosecutors who were These type programs evolved from a general concern by prosecutors who were

aware of the importance of the victim’s testimony to obtain a successful

prosecution. Thus, the primary purpose of a victim/witness program is to insure the

cooperation of victims and witnesses in the offender’s prosecution. The secondary

purpose is to help ease victim suffering and to protect both the victim and witness

from offender intimidation.

A major drawback of this type model is if the offenders are not apprehended, A major drawback of this type model is if the offenders are not apprehended, victims are usually not an official client of this model. Also, there is a significant

victims are usually not an official client of this model. Also, there is a significant

delay before these victims receive services since the prosecution occurs much later

than the services provided in police based programs. Because of the clout of

prosecutors in the criminal justice systems (especially in the four dominant

systems: Roman-Germanic law, Common law, Socialist law, and Islamic law)

where the priority is for punishing the offender, this type program is the most

prevalent in most of these systems.

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Special Interest Advocacy Programs

 These types of programs involve services for specific These types of programs involve services for specific

types of victims. Thus, under this category one

mostly finds: sexual assault centers; services for elder

victims; services for children; and, services for

spouse abuse victims. Outside the CJS are such

programs for war victims, disaster victims, abuse of

power victims, accident victims, torture victims and

others. These program are highly specialized and

offer services that require extensive training for their

personnel.

(13)

The Victim Ombudsman

 Although the original concept of the ombudsman was Although the original concept of the ombudsman was

focused on the delivery of services to crime victims focused on the delivery of services to crime victims

and evolved into victim advocacy, the term victim and evolved into victim advocacy, the term victim ombudsman has taken on a more classic meaning ombudsman has taken on a more classic meaning

related to the original purpose of an ombudsman. As a related to the original purpose of an ombudsman. As a

class, victims (of all types) merit official representation class, victims (of all types) merit official representation

within the executive branch of government such that within the executive branch of government such that

their needs and interests are represented in the spirit of their needs and interests are represented in the spirit of

social advocacy from the top levels of government. social advocacy from the top levels of government.

The Victim Ombudsman gives victims access to The Victim Ombudsman gives victims access to

decision-making and ultimately allow them to decision-making and ultimately allow them to

(14)

Victim Service Protocols

 One of the great challenges of providing victim One of the great challenges of providing victim

services is to deliver exactly what the victim needs! A

method that can insure an effective protocol is an

eight-step process which responds not just to victim

needs but also to the community’s needs. These steps

are: inventory of existing services; victim experience

survey; community needs assessment; writing the

protocol; renew interagency agreements; training;

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The Protocol Development Cycle

Step 2. Do a Step 2. Do a Victim Victim Experiences Experiences Survey Survey

Step 3. Conduct Step 3. Conduct Community Community Needs Needs Assessment Assessment Step 8. Step 8. Complete a Complete a Program Program Evaluation Evaluation

Step 4. Write

& Establish a

Protocol

Protocol Step 5. Renew _InteragencyStep 5. Renew _Interagency

Agreements Agreements

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1. Inventory of Existing Services

 This step requires each agency to develop a This step requires each agency to develop a

comprehensive listing of services available in their

the community. Ultimately this listing becomes a

directory of services to be used by all members of the

agency as a handy referral reference tool. It is

imperative that each services be evaluated and

notations made in the listing so that informed

referrals are made.

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2. Victim Experience Survey

 The victim services agency should conduct a Victim The victim services agency should conduct a Victim

Experience Survey to assess victims’ experiences

from the victimization, through the aftermath and

treatment to recovery. Ideally, the survey must be

done prior to the implementation of any protocols, so

as to cleanly measure the baseline data for evaluating

the impact of the victim service agency and the CJS

on victims.

(18)

3. Community Needs Assessment

 The Inventory of Existing Services and Victim The Inventory of Existing Services and Victim

Experiences should be incorporated into the

Community Needs Assessment by gathering

information from the core agencies - law

enforcement, prosecutor, medical, and victim services

- regarding the incidence of violent crime in the

community, crime victim profiles, areas most affected

by crime, current responses to victims and resources

(19)

4. Writing and Establishing the

Protocol

 After having developed the previous 3 activities of After having developed the previous 3 activities of

the cycle, the protocol should be written so as to

define the relationships between local service

organizations and address their needs. Also, the

protocol must then be reviewed by all effected

agencies and staff; finally it must be implemented.

(20)

5. Renew Interagency Agreements

 Once the agencies agree on the protocol, each agency Once the agencies agree on the protocol, each agency

should review their existing agreements (often called

“ MOU or Memorandum Of Understanding”) to

insure they fit their own agencies policies and will

facilitate the new protocol. This is critical to a

conflict-free relationship with all related agencies.

(21)

6. Create a Training Process

 The best way to implement the protocol is to develop The best way to implement the protocol is to develop

a training program for all personnel who have

responsibilities covered by the protocols. To

accomplish this, a training committee needs to

conduct a

conduct a Training Needs AssessmentTraining Needs Assessment, a training , a training curriculum, a training schedule and ultimately

curriculum, a training schedule and ultimately

conduct the training.

(22)

7. Establish a Monitoring Process

 To insure that all parts of the protocol are being used, To insure that all parts of the protocol are being used,

a monitoring process should be established. This

should be done with guidelines and formal reports so

that all key parts of the program are accurately

observed and recorded for future evaluations.

(23)

8. Complete a Program Evaluation

 Although monitoring is a form of data collection, a more Although monitoring is a form of data collection, a more

rigorous evaluation of the total effects of the protocol on the

system’s performance as well as on the victim’s response is

needed. This final program evaluation ideally considers the

efficiency and the efficacy of the program’s protocol based on

its outcome. This is the end of the year information which

should be used to determine whether changes are needed in the

existing protocol to improve the program so as to better

achieve its objectives.

(24)

Summary

 For a victim service program to be For a victim service program to be “victim centered,”“victim centered,”

all related agencies need to have explicit victim

focused goals. Also,

focused goals. Also, the protocol cycle must be a the protocol cycle must be a continuous process of monitoring, evaluating and

continuous process of monitoring, evaluating and

making improvements

making improvements. .

 Victim Services should be the culmination of all the Victim Services should be the culmination of all the

research, all the laws, all the efforts that

victimologists can exert so that

victimologists can exert so that at the end of the day, at the end of the day, fewer persons are victimized, victim suffering is

(25)

Thank you for your attention.

“

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that

within me there lay an invisible summer.”