NCJ Number
93379
Date Published
1980
Length
0 pages
Annotation
A videotape on organizing crime victim-witness assistance programs focuses on the general phenomenon of victimization and on means available to assist victims. In the four segnments of the film, the narrator, Mr. Tony Batten, discusses services and outreach to victims, steps for starting programs, the role of volunteers, and possible sources of funds.
Abstract
The narrator stresses that victimization is a topic relevant to the general public, although the shift in emphasis from the rights of the accused to the rights of the victim is recent. Services of greatest benefit to frequently victimized groups include medical and financial assistance to meet immediate needs, counselling to alleviate long-term psychological effects, and provision of means to facilitate crime reporting and victim comprehension of court proceedings. Outreach to victims may occur through police crime sheets, hospital emergency room, advertising compaigns, or hot lines. Groups wishing to initiate victim assistance programs can start by conducting neighborhood surveys, listing community support agencies, and holding organizational meetings with actual victims. Decisions on staffing, location, and budget are essential in planning programs, but community participation is the element critical to program success. Mr. Batten emphasizes the importance of volunteers in conducting victim programs and offers valuable suggestions to professional staff members charged with recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers. Funds can be obtained for such programs by submitting a carefully outlined proposal to appropriate agencies of State or local government, corporations, or such organizations as the United Way. Supplementary funds may be obtained through direct mail solicitation or special fund raising activities.