NCJ Number
67865
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
PROGRESS MADE BY THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IN IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH CRIME VICTIM CRISIS CENTERS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CRIME VICTIMS IS OUTLINED.
Abstract
TWO VICTIM CRISIS CENTERS WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE FALL OF 1977 AND HAVE SERVED ABOUT 2,000 VICTIMS AS OF OCTOBER 15, 1978. MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THE CENTERS INCLUDE CRISIS INTERVENTION, REFERRAL SERVICES, VICTIM ADVOCACY, EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR IN BURGLARY CASES, PUBLIC EDUCATION, CRIME PREVENTION, AND SERVICES TO THE VICTIM AS WITNESS. WHEN ASKED TO RATE THE QUALITY OF CENTER SERVICE, MOST RESPONDENTS RATED THE SERVICES HIGHLY. VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME AND BURGLARY TENDED TO BE MORE FAVORABLE IN THEIR EVALUATIONS THAN VICTIMS OF IMPERSONAL CRIMES. CLIENTS WERE MOST POSITIVE ABOUT THE STAFF'S UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR PROBLEMS, PROMPTNESS IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM, AND THE BENEFITS RECEIVED. COSTS OF SERVICES WERE COMPUTED BY DIVIDING COSTS ATTRIBUTED TO SERVICE DELIVERY BY THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS SERVED. COST PER VICTIM AT THE URBAN CENTER AVERAGED $89.47 DURING THE START-UP PERIOD AND $69.63 SUBSEQUENTLY. COSTS AT THE SUBURBAN CENTER WERE $228.32 DURING THE START-UP PERIOD AND $156.99 THEREAFTER. POLICE WERE GENERALLY FAVORABLE TOWARD THE CENTER SERVICES. DURING THE PERIOD OF PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, THE CENTERS SERVED ABOUT 15 PERCENT OF THE VICTIMS OF REPORTED CRIME IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. A LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION OF $375,000 IS RECOMMENDED FOR THE1980-1981 BIENNIUM. THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR CONTINUANCE OF THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE AND LIMITED GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSION OF AREAS SERVED BY THE CENTERS. BEFORE MORE CENTERS ARE ESTABLISHED, ADDITIONAL DATA SHOULD BE COLLECTED TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT CAN BE SERVED BY A SINGLE CENTER, THE POSSIBILITY OF REDUCING COSTS, VICTIM NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND THE COST OF A STATEWIDE PROGRAM. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED.