NCJ Number
94257
Date Published
1982
Length
54 pages
Annotation
This book provides victim/witness program staff and volunteers with information to sharpen their crisis intervention skills through a presentation of relevant state-of-the-art research findings; a summary of the psychological impact of victimization; a crisis intervention model; counseling traits, skills, and training; and the Pima County Attorney's Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program (Arizona), which served as the model for this book.
Abstract
A chart showing the psychological impact of victimization for specific crimes is presented, showing that victimization adversely affects on's trust in others and one's sense of autonomy in managing personal affairs. It also indicates that the more serious the crime, the more extensive the psychological injury to the victim. A crisis is defined as a threatening experience which seriously disrupts a person's psychological and social functioning, with the threat arising from the person's failure to cope with an event outside the range of daily experience. The presented LETRA Model of Crisis Intervention consists of four chronological steps: safety procedures, defusing techniques, interview methods, and action alternatives. This model is adapted for use by victim/witness program advocates. The traits of a counselor, communication skills, and response styles are discussed in the section on becoming a crisis counselor, and recruitment, training format, model and goals, and a synergistic approach are considered in discussing setting up a program for training volunteers. Topics reviewed in the case study of the Pima County program include organizational framework, emergency services, and research and evaluation. The appendixes detail crisis intervention techniques and present training exercises.