NCJ Number
95955
Date Published
Unknown
Length
54 pages
Annotation
Following a discussion of stress, crisis, and law enforcement, this study recommends methods of approaching police officials that are likely to minimize their resistance to victim service programs; describes the kinds of victim service programs that enhance police participation; discusses how best to serve crime victims through three models of agency relationships; and examines several administrative issues associated with the program models.
Abstract
The three models of agency relationships described are called cooperation, collaboration, and comprehensive, which combines the first two models. The comprehensive model is comprehensive in that victims not helped right away are likely to be contacted by the counselor within a few days. From both the police department's and the victims' perspectives, the benefits of a two-tiered system are high. Evidence shows that police officers under a comprehensive model program more often tell victims about the next-day service than do their cooperation-model counterparts. They more often encourage victims to contact the counselors directly and are considerably more comfortable about dealing with victim emotional shocks.