NCJ Number
154543
Date Published
Unknown
Length
817 pages
Annotation
A comprehensive training manual and curriculum is provided to help victim service providers improve their victim assistance programs.
Abstract
The importance of victim services and victim rights has been validated by surveys of both crime victims and the American public. It has been established that victims and their families have the right to be heard about a defendant's release on bond, to be present during grand jury hearings, to discuss their case with the prosecutor before charges are dropped, to discuss their case with the prosecutor during trial, to make an impact statement at sentencing, and to be informed about changes in offender status. Likewise, the public has expressed strong support for victim rights during the prosecutorial stage of the criminal justice system. Information, resources, training materials, and technical assistance are incorporated in the manual to expand the reach of prosecutor-based victim assistance programs. The training and technical assistance are designed to be proactive and responsive to the needs of prosecutors and their staff. By improving overall capabilities of the criminal justice system through interagency coordination of services, prosecutors and their staff can play a critical role in making the criminal justice system's response to crime victims more systematic. Training materials are primarily directed to victim service providers housed in prosecutor-based victim assistance programs. The resource manual is organized in 10 sections that cover such areas as program planning and development, service delivery protocols, victim impact statements, enhanced program services, service delivery trends, volunteer management, effective stress and conflict management, and resource development. Additional training and resource information is contained in appendixes. References and figures