NCJ Number
66288
Date Published
1979
Length
50 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DESCRIBES AND EXAMINES THE CLIENTS, SERVICES, AND OPERATION OF THREE VICTIM/WITNESS ASSISTANCE CENTERS IN NEW JERSEY.
Abstract
THE CENTERS SERVE BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEWARK, AND UNION CITY. THE CENTERS WERE ESTABLISHED TO HELP CRIME VICTIMS RECOVER FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES AND TO ASSIST WITNESSES THROUGH COURT PROCEEDINGS. DATA WERE COLLECTED FOR 10 WEEKS IN 1978 ON CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS AND SERVICE AND CASE PROGRAMS. THE BURLINGTON COUNTY CENTER IS BASED WITHIN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND IS THE ONLY CENTER WHICH ROUTINELY AIDS BOTH WITNESSES AND VICTIMS. IN CONTRAST, THE NEWARK AND UNION CITY CENTERS OPERATE, ALBEIT INDEPENDENTLY, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND HANDLE ONLY CRIME VICTIMS. CLIENTS IN ALL PROJECTS WERE REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. MOST WERE BETWEEN AGE 25 AND 45, AND 10 PERCENT WERE SENIOR CITIZENS. IN MOST CASES, PROJECT STAFF INITIATED CONTACT; FEW CLIENTS WERE SELF-REFERRED OR REFERRED BY COMMUNITY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES. ONLY 12 PERCENT OF ALL SERVICES CONSISTED OF REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES; 5 PERCENT INVOLVED EFFORTS TO FOLLOWUP ON A CLIENT WHO HAD RECEIVED SERVICES. ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE INJURED VICTIMS WERE REFERRED TO THE VIOLENT CRIMES COMPENSATION BOARD (VCCB), AND TWO OF THE THREE PROJECTS HAD LIMITED ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON CLIENT PROGRESS THROUGH THE COURTS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT (1) PROJECTS DETERMINE IF SENIOR CITIZENS ARE UNDERREPRESENTED AS CLIENTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS, IF NEEDED; (2) SELF-REFERRALS AND REFERRALS FROM OTHER AGENCIES BE ENCOURAGED; (3) REFERRALS TO EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES BE INCREASED; (4) FOLLOWUP PROCEDURES BE INSTITUTED WHEN REFERRALS ARE MADE; (5) ALL VIOLENT OFFENSE VICTIMS BE ADVISED OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE VCCB; AND (6) COURT LIAISON BE ESTABLISHED, WHERE NECESSARY, TO PERMIT CASE TRACKING OF CLIENTS. TABLES, FOOTNOTES, AND AN APPENDIX PRESENTING DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)