NCJ Number
179905
Journal
International Review of Victimology Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: 1999 Pages: 101-115
Date Published
1999
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Interviews of 120 crime victims who had received help and 120 crime victims who had not received help from victim services programs in 4 cities were used to study the forms of assistance that victims seek from these programs, whether the programs are meeting the needs of those who seek help, and whether the victims who receive services are those most in need.
Abstract
The research took place at four victim services programs nominated by experts as being among the best victim services programs in the United States. The programs in Rochester, N.Y., and Evanston, Ill., were police-based in that their participant bases consisted of all persons who reported crime to the police in the areas they served. The programs in Lexington, Ky., and Tucson, Ariz., were prosecutor-based in that they served only victims involved in criminal court cases. The participants at each location included robbery, assault, and burglary victims. Sixty percent of the participants reported one or more crime-related needs, including victimization prevention; household logistical support; counseling, advice, or advocacy; and property replacement. Family and friends were the most frequent sources of victim assistance. In addition, victim services programs helped a substantial number of victims with counseling-related needs, but they were of little help to victims in dealing with crime prevention, household, or property replacement needs. Moreover, victims who received services had more crime-related needs than did victims who had no contact with victim programs. Findings suggested that victim services could improve their responses to the most vulnerable groups of crime victims in terms of outreach, speed of intervention, and service priorities. Tables, notes, and 24 references (Author abstract modified)