NCJ Number
187828
Date Published
2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This summary of selected information from the 1998 British Crime Survey (BCS) focuses on victims' experiences of and public perceptions of Victim Support, the British agency responsible for providing victim services.
Abstract
The BCS is a regular large face-to-face survey of adults living in private households in England and Wales. Its main purpose is to monitor trends in crime, but the survey also covers a range of other topics and includes questions on Victim Support. The 1998 BCS shows that the effects of crime on victims and victims' needs varied considerably; for example, victims of burglary, violence, and threats, as well as victims on lower incomes tended to be more seriously harmed by their victimization and have greater needs than others. Victim Support contacted higher proportions of victims in most of the categories with high levels of impact and need, suggesting that services are generally "targeted" where they are most needed. Victims of burglary and violent offenses were the most likely to be contacted or visited. Still, the 1998 BCS indicated that Victim Support had made good progress toward its goal of offering services to all victims. Contact was made with a wide range of victims in terms of both offense type and social characteristics. Types of contact varied; 69 percent of those who recalled contact were first contacted by mail, and 26 percent of all those contacted received a visit at some point. Of those who recalled contact, 58 percent rated the service as "very" or "fairly helpful." This increased to 80 percent for those who received a visit. Awareness of Victim Support has increased over the years; 74 percent of the BCS sample who were asked about Victim Support had heard of the service, and many knew that it offered help to a wide range of victims. Seventy-nine percent of victims were aware of Victim Support compared with 32 percent in 1984. 2 figures and 2 references