NCJ Number
38221
Date Published
1976
Length
195 pages
Annotation
REPORT ON A STUDY OF VICTIM AND WITNESS ATTITUDES, BELIEFS, PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS AS A RESULT OF THE CRIMINAL ACT AND ENTRANCE INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY.
Abstract
THE PRESENT STUDY DEALS WITH THREE SAMPLES - ONE OF VICTIMS AND ONE OF WITNESSES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND A THIRD COMMUNITY SAMPLE OF VICTIMS REINTERVIEWED ON BEHALF OF THE PROJECT BY THE US CENSUS BUREAU. THE IN-SYSTEM SAMPLE CONSISTED OF TWO SATURATION SAMPLES OF CITIZENS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS IN THE MILWAUKE COUNTY COURT SYSTEM. THE COMMUNITY SAMPLE INVOLVED THE REINTERVIEWING OF A SAMPLE OF VICTIMS ORIGINALLY LOCATED BY THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY CONDUCTED IN MILWAUKEE BY THE US CENSUS BUREAU IN THE EARLY PART OF 1974. THE FINDINGS INDICATED THAT HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY AND RESPONSE BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFICIALS TO VICTIM AND WITNESS NEEDS GO A LONG WAY TOWARD LESSENING THEIR ANXIETIES, CONCERNS, AND HOSTILITIES. THE STUDY TEAM CONCLUDED THAT EXTENSIVE VICTIM/WITNESS PROGRAMS ARE NOT NEEDED BY MOST VICTIMS AND WITNESSES AND THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM MUST BALANCE CONCERN FOR THE TREATMENT OF VICTIMS AND WITNESSES. FOR A SUMMARY OF THIS REPORT, SEE NCJ-38076.