ACT Victims of Crime Referral Project: Final Report

• NCJ Number: 241572
• Author(s): Kiah McGregor; Lauren Renshaw; Hannah Andrevski
• Date Published: 2013
• Length: 78 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: AIC Reports Technical and Background Paper 55

Annotation

This final report presents the results of a study that examined the experiences of crime victims who received support services following a referral by police.

Abstract

This report presents the results of a study that evaluated the experiences of crime victims in the Australian Capital Territory for the period 2007-2008. Findings from the evaluation include the following: during the period, there were 26,018 victims of crime, of which 43 percent reported being victims of a theft; serious crimes accounted for less than 10 percent of reported offenses; more men than women reported being victims for all crime types, except for sexual assault; and 5,799 individuals were referred for support services by the police, of which 4,533 accepted the referral. The evaluation also included a survey of victims who received the services. The survey revealed that respondents were generally satisfied with the initial behavior of the police, but were less satisfied with their behavior as the case progressed. While only one in five respondents reported being referred for services by the police, those who did receive services were satisfied with the services provided. The survey also revealed that the services more needed by victims were more information about being a victim and assistance with navigating the criminal justice system. The evaluation resulted in a set of recommendations that include more input from victims on the type of services that should be provided to victims, establishment of guidelines on which victims should be offered referral and when it is appropriate for police to refer a victim, and establishing protocols for enabling victims to make a clear choice of which agency should be their point of contact when receiving victim services. Using data from a 12-month period, this study evaluated the experiences of crime victims in the Australian Capital Territory in order to improve and expand the referral process for victims. Figures, tables, references, and appendixes