NCJ Number
134166
Journal
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1991) Pages: 128-137
Date Published
1991
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A national survey received information about the functions and services provided to victims and witnesses by 184 victim/witness service programs in urban, suburban, and rural areas in 42 States.
Abstract
The programs represented 60.3 percent of the 305 programs to which 4-page questionnaires were mailed in November and December 1985. The respondents included 127 programs based in prosecutors' offices, 23 nonprofit agencies, 13 police-based programs, 8 probation-based programs, and 13 other programs. Almost 85 percent of the programs were a separate component or relatively autonomous unit of a larger agency. The service most often provided was that of explaining the court process. Other common services included court escorts, help with victim compensation claims, public education, intervention with employers, transportation to court, and crisis intervention. Other services provided by some programs included child care, emergency financial assistance, and repair of damaged property. Budgets for 1984 ranged from $500 to $525,000, and most programs had more than one source of funding. Seventy-five percent of the programs had five or fewer full-time employees. Findings indicated the need for services beyond court-related services and for staff with higher levels of clinical training. 15 references