NCJ Number
56116
Date Published
1978
Length
25 pages
Annotation
AID TO VICTIMS OF CRIME, AN ORGANIZATION FORMED TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, HAS DEVELOPED THIS VOLUNTEER TRAINING MANUAL TO PROMOTE QUALITY SERVICES TO CRIME VICTIMS.
Abstract
PROGRAM GOALS ARE NOTED, STRESSING GREATER CITIZEN-VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PROMOTION OF AN AWARENESS OF VICTIM CENTERED PROGRAMS IN EXISTING SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS OF DELIVERING SERVICES TO VICTIMS AND TO ESTABLISH THESE METHODS IN A PERMANENT AGENCY. SIMILARLY, PROGRAM OBJECTIVES CALL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 35 TO 50 TRAINED CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS TO AID CRIME VICTIMS, BUILDING A GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF CRIME PREVENTION TECHNIQUES, CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES TO AID VICTIMS, PROMOTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RESOURCES TO FILL VICTIM'S NEEDS, AND ESTABLISHING A STABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES. STAFFING OF THE PROGRAM INVOLVES SELECTING THE SUITABLE VOLUNTEER THROUGH INTERVIEWS, FOLLOWED BY THE INITIAL TRAINING SESSION AND THE SIGNING OF A CONTRACT, A FORMAL DECLARATION OF EXPECTATIONS HELD WITHIN THE PROGRAM. THE CONTRACT, SIGNED BY BOTH THE VOLUNTEER AND THE PROGRAM REPRESENTATIVE, IS A STATEMENT OF WHAT THE PROGRAM EXPECTS FROM EACH VOLUNTEER AND WHAT THE VOLUNTEER CAN EXPECT FROM THE PROGRAM STAFF. DETAILS OF THE CONTRACT ARE INCLUDED. ADDITIONALLY, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE VOLUNTEER CAN PROVIDE SERVICES TO VICTIMS AS A BROKER, AN ADVOCATE, AND A COUNSELOR. FINALLY, COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE EMPHASIZED, AS WELL AS TREATMENT AND CRISIS INTERVENTION, ESPECIALLY FOR RAPE VICTIMS. SEVERAL FORMS ACCOMPANY THE TEXT. (WJR)