NCJ Number
55267
Date Published
1978
Length
254 pages
Annotation
THE VICTIM-WITNESS ADVOCATE PROGRAM IN DANVILLE, ILL., INSTITUTED TO BENEFIT VICTIMS AND WITNESSES OF VIOLENT CRIME, IS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF CRISIS ASSISTANCE, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND AID THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM BECAME FULLY OPERATIONAL IN MAY 1976, WITH THE OVERALL GOAL BEING TO PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES TO HELP VICTIMS AND WITNESSES DEAL WITH CRIME-RELATED PROBLEMS AND TO PROMOTE VICTIM COOPERATION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THERE WERE SEVEN SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM: (1) TO PROVIDE ADVOCATES TO ASSIST BONA FIDE CRIME VICTIMS; (2) TO PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF SUPPORT SERVICES FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES; (3) TO MAKE ADVOCATES AVAILABLE TO SERVE AS INTERMEDIARIES BETWEEN VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND VICTIMS; (4) TO ASSIST POLICE OFFICERS BY PROVIDING DIRECT SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS; (5) TO ASSIST LOCAL PROSECUTORS BY ENCOURAGING VICTIMS TO REQUEST THAT OFFENDERS BE CHARGED, BY PROTECTING VICTIMS AND WITNESSES, AND BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE DROPPED DUE TO LACK OF COOPERATION BY VICTIMS AND WITNESSES; (6) TO PROMOTE MUTUALLY POSITIVE ATTITUDES BETWEEN VICTIMS OF CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; AND (7) TO IMPROVE PUBLIC AWARENESS REGARDING PROBLEMS OF VICTIMS AND WITNESSES THROUGH APPROPRIATE PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIVITIES. GROUPS OF SUBJECTS INVOLVED IN PROGRAM EVALUATION INCLUDED PROGRAM CLIENTS, VICTIMS WHO DID NOT USE PROGRAM SERVICES, POLICE OFFICERS, SOCIAL AGENCY PERSONNEL, LOCAL PROSECUTORS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND A SAMPLE OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. INSTRUMENTS USED TO COLLECT DATA INCLUDED PROGRAM RECORDS AND QUESTIONNAIRES. DATA WERE COLLECTED BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND JUNE 1, 1977. A TOTAL OF 435 PERSONS COMPLETED SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES OR PARTICIPATED IN TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS (42 POLICE OFFICERS, 10 PROSECUTORS, 60 SOCIAL AGENCY PERSONNEL, 29 COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, 119 CITIZENS, 101 CRIME VICTIMS, AND 74 PROGRAM CLIENTS). EVALUATION FINDINGS INDICATED THAT PROGRAM OBJECTIVES WERE ALL REALIZED TO SOME EXTENT. PROFESSIONALS WHO CAME INTO CONTACT WITH CRIME VICTIMS, NONCLIENT CRIME VICTIMS, AND CITIZENS VIEWED THE PROGRAM AS OFFERING UNIQUE SERVICES NOT DUPLICATED BY OTHER SOCIAL AGENCIES. SOCIAL AGENCY PERSONNEL, PROSECUTORS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION OVER DOMESTIC PROBLEMS OF VICTIMS, USUALLY WIFE BATTERING. CRISIS ASSISTANCE FOR DOMESTIC PROBLEMS INCLUDED TEMPORARY LODGING, FOOD, CHILD CARE, AND COUNSELING. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROGRAM BE CONTINUED, ALTHOUGH SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT ARE OFFERED: CONDUCT A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS TO ASCERTAIN THE COST PER CLIENT OF THE PROGRAM, CONDUCT A PERSONAL INTERVIEW SURVEY WITH RESIDENTS OF HIGH-CRIME AREAS TO DETERMINE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND VICTIM SERVICE PROGRAMS, CONDUCT A RANDOM DIGIT DIALING-TYPE SURVEY OF CITIZENS, CONDUCT A COMPARISON BETWEEN GROUPS IN A COMMUNITY WITH A VICTIM SERVICE PROGRAM AND IN A COMMUNITY WITH NO SUCH PROGRAM, AND COMPARE PROGRAM CLIENTS AND NONCLIENT VICTIMS OVER TIME TO VERIFY WHETHER VICTIM SERVICES AMELIORATE VICTIM RECIDIVISM. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON VICTIMOLOGY IS PRESENTED. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS, A VOLUNTEER TELEPHONE SURVEY MANUAL, AND A VOLUNTEER SURVEY FORM. (DEP)