NCJ Number
224985
Date Published
2008
Length
55 pages
Annotation
This first of three companion volumes discusses the evolution of enhanced police response to crime victims, summarizes its four key principles, identifies the seven critical needs of victims, and illustrates the potential of community partnerships in implementing the proposed strategy.
Abstract
The strategy of enhanced police response to crime victims involves the four key elements of leadership, partnering, training, and performance monitoring. The leadership required involves changing an organization's culture from that of focusing only on detecting and apprehending offenders to responding to crime victims' interests and needs. "Partnering" involves networking with victim service provides, other criminal justice and human services agencies, and community-based organizations in order to expand the police capacity to meet victims' needs. Training involves preparing law enforcement officers to respond more effectively to victims of various types of crimes. Performance monitoring involves collecting and analyzing information relevant to determining how effective the police are in serving crime victims' needs. The seven critical crime victim needs on which the police response should focus are safety, support, information, access to needed services, continuity of services throughout victims' involvement with the justice system, a voice in how the criminal justice system manages their case, and a sense that their cases are being managed effectively. The strategy of the enhanced law enforcement response to victims has been successfully pilot tested by police agencies in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC; Beaverton, OR; and Mundelein, IL. This volume documents the benefits these departments experienced by enhancing their response to crime victims, including a greater willingness of victims to cooperate with investigations, greater confidence and trust in law enforcement officers, improved crime reporting, and improved morale and job satisfaction among officers.