VICTIMS AND WITNESSES - THE IMPACT OF CRIME AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (FROM ELDERLY CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATION - HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON AGING, 95TH CONGRESS, 1ST SESSION)

• NCJ Number: 61214
• Author(s): F HEINZELMANN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SUMMARY OF THE FINAL REPORT

Annotation

FROM A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON VICTIM COMPENSATION, A FINAL REPORT IS PRESENTED ON MEETING THE NEEDS OF VICTIMS AND WITNESSES THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES.

Abstract

THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WAS CONDUCTED IN MILWAUKEE, WIS., AND FOCUSED ON TWO MAJOR STUDY GROUPS. ONE GROUP CONSISTED OF VICTIMS AND WITNESSES ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS IN THE MILWAUKEE COUNTY COURT SYSTEM. INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM APPROXIMATELY 2,000 VICTIMS AND 1,000 WITNESSES THROUGH INTERVIEWS. THE SECOND STUDY GROUP CONSISTED OF VICTIMS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE 1974 U.S. BUREAU OF CENSUS NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY IN MILWAUKEE; SOME 1,600 VICTIMS WERE REINTERVIEWED IN THEIR HOMES, WHICH REPRESENTED ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THE SELECTED SAMPLE. IN GENERAL, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SAMPLE AND THE COMMUNITY SAMPLE FOUND THAT MALES, BLACKS, AND YOUTH WERE OVERREPRESENTED AMONG CRIME VICTIMS. TOPICS CONSIDERED FOR EVALUATION IN THE STUDY INCLUDED VICTIM AND WITNESS VIEWS CONCERNING CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, PRECAUTIONARY BEHAVIOR OF VICTIMS AND WITNESSES, FACTORS INFLUENCING CRIME REPORTING, RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS, AND NEW APPROACHES TO SERVING VICTIM AND WITNESS NEEDS. THE STUDY FOUND THAT EXTENSIVE VICTIM AND WITNESS SERVICE PROGRAMS ARE NOT NEEDED BY MOST VICTIMS AND WITNESSES. INSTEAD, THEY REQUIRE GREATER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AND COORDINATION OF ALREADY EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES, INCREASED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCY WILLINGNESS TO SERVICE THESE CLIENT GROUPS, DESIGNATION OF RESPONSIBILITY TO SOME PERSON OR GROUP FOR VICTIM AND WITNESS CONCERNS, MODIFICATIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH VICTIMS AND WITNESSES, AND INCREASED DESIRE BY SYSTEM PERSONNEL TO RESPOND TO THEIR PROBLEMS. IN ADDITION, PUBLIC AGENCIES NEED TO ENCOURAGE AND EXPAND STEPS TAKEN TO MAKE CITIZENS MORE AWARE OF THEIR VULNERABILITY TO CRIME AND TO BETTER PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR PROPERTY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM)