NCJ Number
38076
Date Published
1976
Length
31 pages
Annotation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF A STUDY OF VICTIM AND WITNESS ATTITUDES, BELIEFS, PROBLEMS AND NEEDS AS A RESULT OF THE CRIMINAL ACT AND THEIR 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 U.S. BUREAU OF CENSUS. THE IN-SYSTEM SAMPLE CONSISTED OF TWO SATURATION SAMPLES OF CITIZENS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS IN THE MILWAUKEE COUNTY COURT SYSTEM. THE COMMUNITY SAMPLE INVOLVED THE REINTERVIEWING OF A SAMPLE OF VICTIM ORIGINALLY LOCATED BY THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY CONDUCTED IN MILWAUKEE BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF CENSUS IN THE EARLY PART OF 1974. THE FINDINGS INDICATED THAT HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY AND RESPONSE BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFICIALS TO VICTIMS AND WITNESS NEEDS TO 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 OFFENDERS WITH CONCERN FOR THE TREATMENT OF VICIMS AND WITNESSES. FOR A FULL FINAL REPORT, SEE NCJ-38221. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)