Promising Practices and Strategies for Victim Services in Corrections

• NCJ Number: 166605
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 172 pages
• Grant Number(s): 96-VF-GO-K003
• Agencies: OVC
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance)

Annotation

This overview compendium of corrections-based victim services and programs offers ideas on establishing and enhancing these services, explains their essential components, and offers innovative ideas and practical applications to agencies and professionals who seek to initiate or improve such services.

Abstract

The discussion notes that the inclusion of victims' rights and needs is important because public safety includes victim safety, victims are clients who deserve services and support, and a balanced philosophy recognizes that corrections agencies can be both victim-centered and offender-directed. Therefore, corrections agencies should be advocates for victims, provide direct services such as restitution collection and victim/offender meetings, protect victims from intimidation or harassment by offenders, train staff about victim issues, hold offenders accountable, and educate offenders about crime's impact on victims. Agencies also need to establish strong policies and procedures to protect worker safety and victim assistance when an employee is victimized on or off the job. Other areas that should receive attention include program planning and staffing, program evaluation, client needs assessment, the use of technology to enhance corrections-based victim services, fundraising for victim services, monitoring of legislation, restorative justice, and victim/offender programs. Appended sample forms, worksheets, program materials, and lists of online information resources from the Office of Victims of Crime Resource Center and other Internet resources