NCJ Number
183477
Date Published
October 1993
Length
31 pages
Annotation
This "training guide" accompanies a documentary training videotape (NCJ-144523) that addresses a series of five topics designed to help law enforcement personnel incorporate victim assistance into their daily work.
Abstract
The video segments, which run from 6 to 12 minutes in length, can be shown individually or sequentially as part of a curriculum on victim assistance. This training guide is designed to facilitate discussion with viewers after the videotape is shown. It provides key training points, suggested subjects for discussion, and a list of available resources. In one video segment, "Making a Difference on Patrol," viewers see and hear from crime victims who indicate that the responding police officer's attitude played a vital role in their immediate and long-term recovery from the crime's impact. A second video segment, "Domestic Violence: Escaping Abuse," illustrates the physical, emotional, and psychological trauma inflicted on victims of domestic violence. A police supervisor highlights the importance of an effective law enforcement response to victims' appeals for help. The third video segment, "Sexual Assault: Listening to Survivors," focuses on the roles, responsibilities, and actions of the responding officer in relation to crimes of sexual assault. The remaining two video segments address officers' responses to victims of elder abuse, as well as to fellow officers who are victimized by crime. The latter video also discusses "secondary victimization," i.e., the impact crime can have on those close to the victim.