NCJ Number
101237
Journal
National Sheriff Volume: 38 Issue: 1 Dated: (February-March 1986) Pages: 43-47
Date Published
1986
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The National Sheriffs' Association's (NSA's) Victim Assistance Program must address three emerging areas in victim assistance: family violence, the criminal victimization of minorities, and the special needs of burglary victims.
Abstract
NSA supports decisive police action to implement legal consequences for wife abuse. Other police procedures supported by NSA are separate interviews with the parties, determination of the existence of a protection order, victim information on her rights and available services, and a report filed for each incident. NSA has also developed a training program for dealing with child abuse victims. NSA advocates the intensification of police services to minority communities because of the increased risk of victimization in such communities. Attention should be given to victim language barriers and cultural differences that require specialized approaches to minority victim needs. Since studies indicate that burglary victims undergo serious debilitating psychological effects, counseling should be funded under victim compensation programs. Burglary victims should provide input for plea bargaining and sentencing.