Promising Practices and Strategies for Victim Services in Corrections · 2007. 3. 13. · (California Department of Corrections) ... related to the creation of policies, procedures,

Victim Services inCorrections

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office for Victims of Crime

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Advocating for the Fair Treatment of Crime Victims


Promising Practices

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NCJ 166605

This document was prepared by the National Center for Victims of Crime under grantnumber 96–VF–GO–K003, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not nec-essarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

U.S. Department of JusticeOffice of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW.Washington, DC 20531

Janet RenoAttorney General

Raymond C. FisherAssociate Attorney General

Laurie RobinsonAssistant Attorney General

Noël BrennanDeputy Assistant Attorney General

Kathryn M. TurmanActing Director, Office for Victims of Crime

Office of Justice ProgramsWorld Wide Web Home Page

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov

Office for Victims of CrimeWorld Wide Web Home Pagehttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc

For grant and funding information contactU.S. Department of Justice Response Center

1–800–421–6770

OVC Resource Center1–800–627–6872

OVC Resource Center Home Pagehttp://www.ncjrs.org

The Office for Victims of Crime is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which alsoincludes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute ofJustice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Victim Services inCorrections

Promising Practices

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July 1999 NCJ 166605

Advocating for the Fair Treatment of Crime Victims


U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs


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Message from the Director

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Message from the DirectorWhen the Office for Victims of Crime stepped forward in 1990 to take the issues ofcrime victims into the correctional arena, it did so amid an atmosphere of misunder-standing and suspicion. Sometimes the mere mention of victims to corrections officialsand of corrections to victim advocates was enough to provoke an anxious or angryresponse. Breaking down these barriers would require nothing less than the changing ofattitudes and correctional practices across America.

In 1987, following the savage murder of Lisa Bianco, committed by her ex-husbandupon his release from prison on a work furlough, an American Correctional Association(ACA) task force issued a set of recommendations for responding to victims. The murderhad sounded an alarm to corrections officials across the country, proving that theactions of corrections agencies—in this case, failure to notify the victim in spite of themurderer’s violent history and continued threats—can be matters of life and death. TheACA Task Force on Victims of Crime represented the first major step taken by thecorrections field to address the needs of victims and launched a full-fledged campaignto implement corrections-based victim services.

We have been extraordinarily successful. The success has come, however, becausecorrectional practitioners themselves have realized how important and rewarding it is toserve crime victims. They have taken the initiative to make victim services an integralpart of their agencies’ missions. All the major professional correctional associations nowhave active victim communities, and serving victims is recognized as a professional rolein the corrections field.

Promising Practices and Strategies for Victim Services in Corrections, developed by the National Center for Victims of Crime in cooperation with national correctionalassociations, highlights the efforts of corrections agencies to reach out to crime victims.It provides a comprehensive overview of correctional practices responding to victimsand offers a wealth of ideas on establishing and enhancing corrections-based victimservices. I hope that those agencies and individuals involved in the postsentencingphases of cases will find this compendium a valuable resource in improving their efforts to aid crime victims.

Kathryn M.TurmanActing Director

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Acknowledgments

This compendium of corrections-basedprograms and services for victims wasdeveloped as part of the PromisingPractices and Strategies for Victim Servicesin Corrections project, sponsored by theNational Center for Victims of Crime et al.with support from the Office for Victimsof Crime. The project has benefited fromthe significant contributions of practi-tioners and researchers in institutional andcommunity corrections and victim servicesnationwide.

This overview compendium of promisingpractices and strategies was developed byProject Manager Anne Seymour withsignificant contributions and editingsupport from the following professionals:

Mary Achilles Pennsylvania Board of Probation &Pardon

Diane AlexanderNational Center for Victims of Crime

Kay CrockettMissouri Department of Corrections

Sharon EnglishCalifornia Youth Authority

Trudy GregorieProject DirectorNational Center for Victims of Crime

Ellen HalbertTexas Board of Criminal Justice

Karin HoOhio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

Susan LaurenceProject MonitorOffice for Victims of CrimeU.S. Department of Justice

Mark LazarusFlorida Department of Corrections

Brett MacGargleSouth Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice

Sandi MenefeeCalifornia Department of Corrections

Cranston MitchellMissouri Board of Probation & Parole

Bill StutzWashington State Department ofCorrections

In addition, OVC is grateful to theNational Center for Victims of Crime andto the many correctional agencies whoprovided summaries and samples of theirpromising practices and strategies for victim services in corrections that areincorporated throughout this text.

Acknowledgments

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Contents

Foreword ................................................................................................................................ix

Executive Summary................................................................................................................xi

Introduction ............................................................................................................................1

Agency Mission Statements ...................................................................................................5

Program Planning ...................................................................................................................6

Developing Policies and Procedures .....................................................................................8

Establishing a Victim Services Advisory Committee .............................................................9

Program Staffing ...................................................................................................................10

Public Awareness .................................................................................................................12

Networking ...........................................................................................................................16

Victim Notification.................................................................................................................17

Victim Impact Statements ....................................................................................................18

The Importance of Restitution .............................................................................................20

Restitution Procedures .........................................................................................................21

Helping Victims Document Their Losses ...........................................................................22

Assessing the Offender’s Ability to Pay...............................................................................24

Alternative Methods of Restitution Collection.....................................................................24

Victim Protection...................................................................................................................25

Handling Complaints from Victims and Witnesses.............................................................26

Parole Processes ...................................................................................................................26

Staff-Related Issues ...............................................................................................................27

Responding to Workplace Violence in Correctional Settings.............................................29

Monitoring Legislation .........................................................................................................32

Program Evaluation...............................................................................................................32

Client Needs Assessment ......................................................................................................36

Technology to Enhance Corrections-Based Victim Services .............................................37

Fundraising for Victim Services ...........................................................................................42

Restorative Justice .................................................................................................................44

Victim/Offender Programs ...................................................................................................47

Conclusion.............................................................................................................................49

Contents

VICTIM SERVICES IN CORRECTIONS

Appendixes

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Appendix A Position Statement on Crime Victims’ Issues(Texas Corrections Association)................................................................53

Appendix B Strategic Planning Form(U.S. Bureau of Prisons) ...........................................................................57

Appendix C Victim Services Program Policies and Procedures(California Department of Corrections)....................................................61

Appendix D Victim Services Advisory Committee Policy Statement(Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)..............................................91

Executive Order for Council on Victims Justice(Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction) ............................95

Appendix E State Director’s Announcement of New VOCA-FundedVictim Services Unit(Illinois Department of Corrections) ........................................................99

Appendix F Duty Statement for Victim Services Representatives(California Department of Corrections)..................................................103

Job Description for Supervision Clerk (Courts),Community Supervision and Corrections Department(Tarrant County, Texas) ..........................................................................105

Appendix G Telephone Rolodex Card(Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction) ..........................111

Appendix H National Toll-Free Information and Referral Telephone Numbers on Victims’ Rights, Services, and Criminal Justice Resources(Victims’ Assistance Legal Organization)................................................115

Appendix I Sample Victim Impact Statements(National Center for Victims of Crime) ..................................................119

Appendix J Sample Financial Worksheet for Victims’ Losses(National Center for Victims of Crime) ..................................................125

Appendix K Proposed Federal Constitutional Amendment for Victims’ Rights (Senate Joint Resolution 6) .....................................................................129

Appendix L Two Examples of Victim Assessment Surveys(Delaware County Juvenile Court Victim Services Unit, Pennsylvania)....................................................................................................133

(Marion County District Attorney’s Victim Assistance Program, Oregon) ............................................................................................................137

Appendix M Compendium of Helpful Online Services ..............................................143

Appendix N Policy on Charitable Fundraising Campaigns(California Department of Corrections)..................................................153

Appendix O Calendar of Victim-Related Annual Commemorations(National Center for Victims of Crime) ..................................................157

Appendixes

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Foreword

The Promising Practices and Strategies forVictim Services in Corrections project,sponsored by the National Center forVictims of Crime et al., with support fromthe U.S. Department of Justice, Office forVictims of Crime, contains three texts thatare designed to help adult and juvenilecorrectional agencies develop andenhance services for victims of crime:

• “Victim Services in Corrections.”

• “Responding to Workplace Violenceand Staff Victimization.”

• The “Victim Impact Classes/Panelsfor Offenders” program curriculumfor teachers and offenders/students.

Within each of these curricula are exten-sive strategies for program planning anddevelopment, victim and public outreach,education and awareness, and informationrelated to the creation of policies, procedures, and protocols that providethe foundation for corrections-based victim services. In addition, numerous

programs are highlighted as models worthy to consider for replication in local,State, and Federal jurisdictions.

This compendium is designed to providethe reader with a high level overview of the most essential components ofcorrections-based victim services. It isimportant to note that every topichighlighted in this compendium isexpanded upon in the three curriculanoted above.

It is the hope of the Promising Practicesand Strategies for Victim Services inCorrections project team to offer innova-tive ideas and practical applications toagencies and professionals who seek toinitiate or improve corrections-based victim services. This compendium providesa foundation that, when combined withthe full project curricula, can help improvethe treatment of crime victims in thepostsentencing phases of their cases andencourage interagency collaboration toimprove victims’ rights and services.

Foreword

Executive Summary

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Executive SummaryWhen convicted offenders are sentencedto a term of imprisonment, the StateDepartment of Corrections or FederalBureau of Prisons assumes responsibilityfor their supervision. The State Depart-ment of Corrections (or Federal Bureau ofPrisons) houses offenders for their periodof incarceration; implements and monitorswork; makes educational and treatmentactivities available to inmates; and coordi-nates any release into the community with paroling authorities. Historically, themajority of adult and juvenile correctionsagencies’ primary goals were to strive todo the following:

• Preserve “public safety.”

• Reduce the risk of repeat criminalbehavior through incarceration andcommunity supervision.

• Effect offender behavioral change.

Gradually, the criminal justice system hasbecome more aware of the need to inte-grate victim services as part of its respon-sibilities. Not only should correctionsprotect the public safety and welfare butalso provide assistance to victims whichincludes the following goals:

• Being an advocate for the victim.

• Providing direct services to victims (i.e., restitution collection, victim/offender meetings, victim notificationof offender parole hearing, etc.).

• Protecting victims from intimidationor harassment by offenders.

• Training staff regarding sensitivity tovictims’ issues.

• Holding the offender accountable forhis/her behavior.

• Educating offenders about the impactof crime on victims (California YouthAuthority, Office of Prevention andVictims Services).

In addition to the above mentioned goals,corrections departments are becomingaware of the impact of workplace violenceon their employees. Due solely to thenature of correctional populations, the riskof being victimized on-the-job is greaterfor correctional professionals than for mostother jobs. Also, unlike most victims whohave the option of completely removingthemselves from “the scene of the crime,”(i.e., leaving their communities, getting anew job, changing identities, etc.), incorrections, victimized staff are, in manycases, expected to “return to the scene of the crime”—often very soon after theincident occurs. The stress that developsfrom the job and from victimizationfrequently is magnified when correctionalagencies fail to adopt strong policies andprocedures that promote worker safetyand victim assistance when an employeeis victimized on- or off-the-job.

Thus, the criminal justice system, includingcorrections, has come to recognize theneed to be more responsive to victims’needs, including those within the correc-tional setting. The Promising Practices and Strategies for Victim Services in Correctionsproject contains three texts that aredesigned to help adult and juvenilecorrectional agencies develop andenhance services for victims of crime:

• “Victim Services in Corrections.”

• “Responding to Workplace Violenceand Staff Victimization.”

• The “Victim Impact Classes/Panelsfor Offenders” program curriculumfor teachers and offenders/students.


Executive Summary

xii

Within each of these curricula are exten-sive strategies for program planning anddevelopment, victim and public outreach,education and awareness, and informationrelated to the creation of policies, proce-dures, and protocols that provide thefoundation for corrections-based victimservices. In addition, numerous programsare highlighted as models worthy toconsider for replication in local, State, and Federal jurisdictions.

The purpose of this project is to offerinnovative ideas and practical applicationsto agencies and professionals who seek to initiate or improve corrections-basedvictim services. This compendium pro-vides a foundation that, when combinedwith the full project curricula, can help

improve the treatment of crime victims inthe postsentencing phases of their cases,encourage interagency collaboration toimprove victims’ rights and services, anddevelop policies that respond more fullyto workplace violence in the correctionalsetting.

This compendium of corrections-basedprograms and services for victims wasdeveloped as part of the Promising Practices and Strategies for Victim Services in Correctionsproject, sponsored by the National Centerfor Victims of Crime with support fromthe Office for Victims of Crime. Theproject has benefitted from the signifi-cant contributions of practitioners andresearchers in institutional and communitycorrections and victim services nationwide.

Introduction

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The discipline of corrections-based victimservices is a relatively new phenomenonin the United States. Historically, crimevictims and their allies focused on the“front end” of the criminal justice system:law enforcement, prosecution, thejudiciary, and courts. It wasn’t until thelate 1980’s that the postsentencing phasesof victims’ cases were addressed in asystematic manner.

Professionals and volunteers in the correc-tions community, with support fromnational victim advocates, provided theleadership to initiate and enhance victimservices in adult and juvenile institutionalcorrections and parole. A number oflandmark activities comprises the richhistory of corrections-based victim services:

• 1986: The American CorrectionalAssociation (ACA) published a broadpolicy statement that said victimsshould be treated with dignity andrespect by correctional agencies andshould be notified of the status oftheir offenders.

• 1987: The ACA appointed a VictimsTask Force that developed 15 recom-mendations relevant to implementingcorrections-based victim services.

• 1989: The Director of the Office forVictims of Crime (OVC) within theU.S. Department of Justice testifiedbefore the ACA Task Force andannounced support for a nationalCrime Victims and Correctionstraining and technical assistanceproject.

• 1990: The first national conferenceto address corrections-based victimservices, sponsored by OVC and aproject team spearheaded by theNational Center for Victims of Crime,was held in Sacramento, Californiawith 150 participants from 40 States.

• 1991: A national survey of adult andjuvenile correctional agencies andparoling authorities identified thescope of corrections-based victimservices.

• 1991: The American Probation andParole Association (APPA) andAssociation of Paroling AuthoritiesInternational (APAI) establishedVictim Issues Committees.

• 1991–1994: Eight States and themilitary received intensive trainingon corrections-based victim serviceswith technical assistance for programimplementation provided to anadditional 15 States.

• 1995: The ACA Victim Committeeissued the landmark Report andRecommendations on Victims ofJuvenile Offenders.

• 1995: The Promising Practices andStrategies for Victim Services inCorrections project was sponsoredby OVC and expanded to includevictim services in jails.

• 1996: A national survey ofjails provided data on the scope ofjail-based victim services.

• 1996: The National Survey of Adultand Juvenile Correctional Agenciesand Paroling Authorities, originallyconducted in 1990, was updated andoffered data on trends in the imple-mentation of corrections-based victimservices over a 5-year period.

• 1996: The Association of StateCorrectional Administrators (ASCA)established a Victims Committee.

• 1996: The ACA established an adhoc Restorative Justice Committeethat included victim advocates andcorrections professionals.

Introduction


Introduction

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• 1996: The National Institute ofCorrections (NIC) conducted a publichearing with testimony offered bynational and State victim advocatesrelevant to corrections-based victimservices.

• 1997: OVC sponsored a training-for-trainers project spearheaded by theNational Center for Victims of Crimeon Responding to Workplace Violencein Correctional Settings.

• 1997: The U.S. Department of Justice,Corrections Office, OVC, and NIC aswell as ASCA and the PromisingPractices project cosponsorsproduced films that articulate thevision of State corrections directorson the importance of and need forvictim services.

A number of factors have affected the significant increase in corrections-basedvictim services, including the following:

• Strong leadership from ACA, ASCA,APPA, and APAI, with support fromOVC, NIC, the Corrections Office,and the National Center for Victimsof Crime, has provided impetus forinitiating and improving victimservices in corrections.

• More correctional agencies todayperceive victims as “clients” of theiragencies who deserve rights andservices (see the Texas CorrectionsAssociation Position Statement onCrime Victims’ Issues, Appendix A).

• Federal and State laws increasinglyexpand the scope of victims’ rights inthe postsentencing phases of theircases.

• As of November 1996, 29 States haveadopted constitutional amendmentsthat, in most jurisdictions, mandatevictim notification, impact statements,protection, and restitution throughoutcorrectional processes.

• The need for increased accountabilityfrom juvenile offenders, as well as thejuvenile justice system, has expandedvictims’ rights and services in thisarena.

• More correctional agencies are incor-porating the principles of restorativejustice into their missions, policiesand programs—values that includecrime victims, offenders, and thecommunity.

Core Elements in Corrections-Based Victim Services

In 1997, the ASCA Victims Committee,with support from the Promising Practicesand Strategies project, developed 10 coreelements that should form the foundationof a corrections-based victim servicesprogram. Guidelines for implementingthese core elements are incorporatedthroughout this handbook.

The ASCA Victims Committee 10 coreelements recommend that correctionalagencies do the following:

1. Incorporate victims’ rights and needsinto the overall agency mission state-ment and develop a mission/visionstatement specifically for victimservices.

2. Designate a full-time staff person toplan and implement a comprehensivevictim services program and designatevictim service representatives at institu-tions and regional offices to augmentthe agency’s centralized victim services.

3. Provide core services to victims ofcrime that include notification ofoffender status; protection from intimi-dation, harassment, and harm; victiminput into parole proceedings; victimrestitution; and information andreferral to supportive services in thecommunity.

Introduction

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4. Create a Victim Advisory Council(comprised of victims and practitionersfrom corrections, victim services, andallied professions) to guide programimplementation.

5. Establish written policies and proce-dures for victims’ rights and services.

6. Develop a public information plan andoutreach program that describes theservices and assistance provided tovictims by the agency, including aninformational brochure and trainingcurriculum for victim service and alliedjustice professionals.

7. Develop and utilize a trainingcurriculum for orientation and contin-uing education for all agency staff onvictims’ rights and needs, agencyservices and related policies, legisla-tive mandates, and national/State/community-based services for informa-tion and referral.

8. Develop and implement policies, proce-dures, and protocols on how to respondto incidents when correctional staff arevictimized on- or off-the-job.

9. Implement the “Victim Impact Classes/Panels for Offenders” program to helpoffenders understand the impact theircrimes have on their victims, communi-ties, and families, utilizing the curriculaand related resources available fromthe California Youth Authority.

10. Designate an agency representative toparticipate in local, State and regionalvictim services coalitions and serve asthe agency’s liaison to the victimservices community.

Agency Mission Statements

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The majority of adult and juvenile correc-tions agencies and paroling authoritieshave mission or philosophy statementsthat address their overall goals. Yetaccording to data derived from the 1996National Victim Services Survey of Adultand Juvenile Corrections and ParolingAuthorities (conducted by the NationalCenter for Victims of Crime as part of thePromising Practices and Strategies forVictim Services in Corrections project), only40 percent of adult corrections, 51 percentof juvenile corrections, and 66 percent ofparoling authorities include any referenceto crime victims or victim services in thesestatements.

The inclusion of victims’ rights and needsis important for three reasons:

1. The overall concept of “public safety,”for which corrections agencies strive,will not be a reality unless “victimsafety” is considered.

2. The inclusion of victims’ rights andneeds sends a strong message thatvictims are considered “clients” of theagency who deserve services andsupport.

3. A balance in philosophy can beachieved that recognizes correctionalagencies can be “victim-centered”while they are “offender-directed.”

There are two approaches commonlyutilized for mission/philosophy statements:

Overall Agency MissionStatements

Some correctional agencies have broadmission statements that cite victims. TheOregon Board of Parole’s mission state-ment is as follows:

The Board’s mission is to work inpartnership with the Department ofCorrections and local supervisoryauthorities to protect the public andreduce the risk of repeat criminalbehavior through incarceration andcommunity supervision decisionsbased on applicable laws, victims’interests, public safety and recognizedprinciples of offender behavioralchange.

Following a comprehensive victim servicestraining program on victims’ rights andservices, the District of Columbia Board ofParole developed a mission statement thataddresses victims, offenders, and thecommunity:

The mission of the District of ColumbiaBoard of Parole, a quasi-judicialcriminal justice agency, is to protectthe public safety and welfare, toprovide for the rights of victims ofcrimes of violence, to promote therehabilitation and community adjust-ment of offenders, to protect parolees’individual rights, to enhance juvenilejustice services, and to promote asafer community for the citizens andvisitors in the District of Columbia.The Board accomplishes its mission bydetermining if and when to grant orrevoke parole, establishing the termsand conditions of parole, supervisingparolees in the community with aspecial focus on young adultoffenders, and administering theJuvenile Justice and Delinquency ActProgram.

Other agencies, such as the MaineDepartment of Corrections, have “guidingprinciples” that support its broad missionstatement. Of Maine’s six guiding principles—risk management, risk-focused intervention,




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prevention, restorative justice, appliedresearch, and quality services—two specif-ically address victims:

• “Prevention is our moral and profes-sional obligation. We will promote,support and facilitate prevention activ-ities by working with families andcommunities to address these factorswhich put children at risk, and toprotect children from those risks.”

• “Restorative justice challenges us todesign and administer a system thatplaces the needs of the victims andthe harm done by the offendingbehavior at the center of the processby which we sanction and hold theoffender accountable.”

Victim Service Program Mission Statements

Written statements that specifically guidethe protocols, policies and services ofcorrections-based victim service programsprovide a strong foundation for programdevelopment and implementation. Forexample, the California Youth Authority,Office of Prevention and Victims Servicesadopted the following mission statement:

“The Youth Authority and staff areaware of and sensitive to the plight ofvictims of crime, and will provideassistance to them by:

1. Being an advocate for the victim,i.e., legislation, representation.

2. Providing direct services to victims,i.e., restitution collection, victim/offender meetings, notification, etc.

3. Training staff regarding sensitivityto victims’ issues.

4. Holding the offender accountablefor his/her behavior.

5. Educating offenders about theimpact of crime on victims.”

Similarly, the Pennsylvania Board of Probationand Parole has a mission statement for itsOffice of the Victim Advocate, which “isdedicated to representing, protecting andadvancing the individual and collective rightsand interests of crime victims.”

Victim service program mission statements,as evidenced above, can contain theprogram’s basic philosophy as well asprogram goals and specific initiatives thatare relevant to both victims in terms ofrights and services and to offenders interms of accountability.

Program Planning

Source: Guide to Enhancing Victim Services Within Probation and Parole published by the AmericanProbation and Parole Association in 1991.

The following text boxes identify the fivepurposes of program planning and fivebarriers to effective planning.

Five Purposes of Program Planning:

1. Identify target population(s) and problem(s).

2. Specify nature of program services.

3. Describe program goals and objectives.

4. Define action steps to achieve goals.

5. Give a step-by-step “blueprint” of service provision.

Five Barriers to Effective Program Planning:

1. The agency’s general climate.

2. Insufficient information.

3. Lack of time.

4. External forces.

5. Inadequate funding.

Any agency seeking to initiate or enhance avictim services program must first ask thequestion: “Who will this program affect?” It isa good idea to establish a planning committeethat involves the key stakeholders in theprogram who fall into two categories: internaland external. Potential internal planningcommittee members could be as follows:

• Representative of the director.

• Public information officer.

• Therapeutic staff.

• Program staff.

• Staff training officers.

• Line staff.

• Institutional superintendents.

• Victim service coordinator.

Potential external members of thecommittee could be as follows:

• Crime victims.

• Victim service providers.

• Allied criminal justice officials suchas law enforcement, prosecutors,public defenders, courts, and othercorrectional agencies.

• Allied community-based profes-sionals, such as mental health, socialservices, medical professionals,clergy members, schools, highereducation, academia, etc.

The planning committee should bemanageable in terms of size (10–12members), and should be diverse bygender, culture, and area of expertise.

Planning CommitteeResponsibilities

Depending upon the scope of the victimservices program that an agency wants tocreate, there are eight objectives that arelisted below in order of importance toprogram development:

1. Develop short- (1 year) and long-range(2–5 years) plans for the victimservices program (which will incorpo-rate the objectives that follow).

2. Draft policies and procedures.

3. Plan and implement a victim taskforce.

4. Identify program staff and responsibilities.

5. Develop a plan for public awarenessand victim outreach.

6. Develop a plan for networking withallied professionals at the local, Stateand national levels.

7. Develop a plan and schedule forinternal training.

8. Identify benchmarks for programevaluation.

Guidelines for fulfilling these and otherrelated objectives that the planningcommittee may develop are incorporatedthroughout this handbook.

The Planning Process

Once the planning committee has beenestablished and planning issues have beenidentified, the planning process can begin.A facilitated session with committeemembers can help identify the priority inwhich planning issues can be addressed.

Planning time lines can vary, dependingon the agency’s overall strategic planninginitiatives, as well as any deadlines relatedto pending issues. Time lines can be asfollows:

• Short-term (usually 90 days induration).

• Annual (a plan for 1 year).

• Long-term (usually 3–5 years, andcoinciding with the overall strategicplanning initiatives of the agency).

Program Planning

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Program Planning

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Strategic plans should clearly specify avariety of information and resourcesrelated to the plan’s implementation,including the following:

• Overall activity that describes thegeneral scope.

• Goal of this activity.

• Objectives to be taken to accomplishthis goal.

• Tasks (numbered in order) to beaccomplished in conjunction witheach objective.

• Staff responsible for implementationof each task (this can include morethan one staff, department, or evenagency).

• Resources needed to accomplisheach task.

• General budget for each task.

• The date each task is due.

• Status (that determines progress incompleting each goal/objective/task).

Strategic planning forms can be automatedto include “reminder notices” whendeadlines are approaching.

A Strategic Planning Form developed forvictim service programming implementationfor the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, based upon arestorative justice model that delineatescategories of inmates, staff, and victims/community, is included in Appendix B.

Policies and/or procedures must be writtento guide program development and toclearly identify roles and responsibilitiesfor program implementation. Services andissues that require written policies andprocedures include the following:

• Victim notification.

• Victim input at parole hearings.

• Victim restitution.

• Responsibilities of internal or externalprogram advisory committees.

• Responding to incidents of workplaceviolence in correctional settings.

• Victim/offender programs, such as“Impact of Crime on Victims” classes,victim impact panels, mediation, etc.

• Protecting victims from intimidation,harassment, and/or harm.

• How to handle complaints from victims.

• Program principles or values basedupon the premises of restorativejustice.

Written agency policies and proceduresfor the victim service program shouldinclude the following types of information:

• Authority (either by legislativemandate, correctional agency policy,or both).

• Purpose statement.

• Applicability (to victims, offenders,staff, members of the public, orcombinations of the preceding).

• Definitions (of persons, offices, andprograms involved).

• Person(s) and/or unit(s) responsiblefor implementation of policy and/orprocedure.

• Policy that states goals and objectives.

Developing Policies and Procedures

• Procedures that clearly delineate howprogram objectives will be achieved(i.e., the “who, what, when, where,how and why”).

• Funding (if applicable).

• Any provisions for suspension ofpolicy or procedures (usually incases of emergency).

Victim service program-related policiesshould be reviewed and updated (asneeded) on an annual basis. Departmental

bulletins should be issued that explainnew or revised victim-related policies indetail; in addition, victim service programpolicies and procedures should be incor-porated into staff orientation and contin-uing education training.

While program policies should be developedand approved in accordance with establishedagency procedures, examples of victimservice program policies and proceduresfrom the California Department ofCorrections are included in Appendix C.

The importance of creating a programAdvisory Committee was stressed by arecently-appointed parole-based victimservice coordinator, who said: “If correc-tions agencies do only one thing in devel-oping their victim service programs, itshould be to sponsor a Victim ServicesAdvisory Committee.”

An Advisory Committee can serve a varietyof purposes:

• Making recommendations for programdevelopment and implementation tothe Department.

• Contributing to expanded victimoutreach efforts.

• Coordinating victim services with allied criminal justice, state-level andcommunity-based agencies, andserving as liaisons to these professions.

• Enhancing public education aboutvictims’ rights and services in corrections.

• Developing curricula for inservicetraining, educational efforts directedtoward victim service providers, andcross-training programs with alliedjustice and victim service professionals.

• Proposing and supporting legislationto enhance and enforce victims’ rights.

Committee members should be appointedby the agency director. The structure ofthe Advisory Committee should incorpo-rate the following issues:

• Committee size (with a maximumidentified).

• Designated membership slots (i.e.,specific justice or victim serviceagencies/coalitions represented;diversity by culture, gender, andgeography; victim representation, etc.).

• Committee responsibilities.

• Term of office (rotating appoint-ments help maintain continuity inmembership).

• Responsibilities.

• Frequency and location of meetings(i.e., two to four times a year).

• Reimbursement (usually for expensesonly).

A sample policy statement developed by thePennsylvania Department of Corrections forits Victim Services Advisory Committee is

Establishing a Victim Services Advisory Committee


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included in Appendix D. In Ohio, theCouncil on Victims Justice was established byExecutive Order, included in Appendix D.

Victim advocate Ellen Halbert describesthe Texas Department of Criminal JusticeVictim Advisory Board as the “springboard

for the development of the partnershipbetween crime victims and corrections thatwe all want to happen. It is rare to seecrime victims’ groups complain about theagency any more; they are educated andthey are listened to.”

When corrections-based victim serviceprograms were first established in the 1980’s,many agencies utilized existing staff toconduct program operations. This approachwas usually necessitated by considerablerestrictions on agency budget and personnel.However, as the specialized discipline ofcorrections-based victim services has evolved,most agencies have designated staff withagency line item budgets.

When State legislatures pass new laws thatmandate important victims’ rights andservices for which correctional agencies haveresponsibilities (such as notification, restitu-tion, victim involvement at parole, andvictim protection), efforts should be made tosecure designated funding for staff positions.Support for such funding should be soughtfrom crime victims, service providers andstatewide victim service coalitions—all ofwhom stand to benefit from the implementa-tion of victim services in corrections.

Another possibility for funding corrections-based victim services is the Victims ofCrime Act (VOCA) fund, which supportsvictim compensation and victim services atthe Federal level, and in all 50 States andthe District of Columbia. VOCA monies arederived from fines and assessments onpersons convicted of Federal crimes. Since“victim notification,” “case disposition infor-mation,” and “post-conviction advocacy forvictims” are all victim services eligible forVOCA funding, some State VOCA programsfund direct services in adult and juvenilecorrections agencies and paroling authori-ties. The decision to provide VOCA funding

for these purposes lies with the VOCAAdministrator in each State (a roster ofState VOCA Administrators is included inthe “Resources” section of the PromisingPractices and Strategies for Victim Servicesin Corrections notebook). Correctionsofficials interested in pursuing this possi-bility should contact their State’s VOCAAdministrator directly. (See Appendix E forthe Illinois Department of CorrectionsDirector’s announcement article for a VOCA-funded victim services program recentlybegun within his department.)

Victim Services Representatives

Currently, most corrections-based victimservices programs have one centralizedunit with core staff located at the agency’smain office. However, more and moreagencies are developing an internalnetwork of employees at each work site—either institutions, parole, or probationoffices—to provide victims with services,information, and referrals. For example,the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation andCorrection has designated a victim servicesrepresentative at each institution andcommunity corrections division office.

A percentage of these employees’ time isdesignated by the site administrator forvictim assistance purposes. Group trainingprograms, held once or twice a year oreven quarterly, keep victim services repre-sentatives up-to-date on policies andprocedures (which they can help revise, asneeded, based upon their experiences),

Program Staffing

trends in both victimization and victimservices, and victims’ most salient needs.

The use of victim services representativesserves a number of valuable purposessuch as—

• Providing direct assistance to victimsat their local work location.

• Serving as the site liaison to thecentral victim services unit.

• Participating in local victim service coali-tions and commemorative activities.

• Providing training about the agency’svictim services to local serviceproviders and allied criminal justiceprofessionals.

• Organizing victim/offender programson site.

• “Trouble-shooting” to make sure thatvictims’ needs, which are oftendiverse by their location and accessto support and services, are met bythe department.

A duty statement for the California Depart-ment of Corrections victim services repre-sentatives is included in Appendix F, aswell as a job description for the TarrantCounty (Texas) Community Supervisionand Corrections Department position ofsupervision clerk (courts), who reports tothe victim services coordinator.

Use of Interns and Volunteers

Many agencies have recruited and obtainedvolunteers and interns to assist with themany tasks associated with victim services.Volunteers and interns, who should repre-sent the cultural diversity of the victimsserved by the agency, require intensivesupervision and on-going training to fulfilltheir jobs in their respective agencies.However, volunteers and interns canaugment professional staff in a variety ofcapacities:

• Sending letters to victims requestingnotification.

• Processing victim information into thecomputerized notification database.

• Providing information and referralsto victims in person, in writing, or bytelephone.

• Helping to develop and disseminateinformation about victim services incorrections to crime victims, serviceproviders, and concerned citizens.

• Other duties deemed appropriate bycorrectional staff.

A promising practice initiated in 1997 bythe Missouri Department of Correctionsinvolves a partnership with the MissouriOrganization for Victim Assistance. Anetwork of volunteer advocates will beestablished and trained to accompanyvictims to parole hearings.

Many colleges and universities offer paidand nonpaid internship programs in avariety of disciplines for their students,including criminal justice, corrections, socialwork, sociology and communications. TheChairpersons of these departments shouldbe contacted for information about intern-ship programs, that provide additional stafffor the victim services program while, at thesame time, offer students a valuablelearning experience that will benefit themas they enter the professional job marketupon graduation.

The AmeriCorp Program, which providesmatching funds to public service agenciesthat hire college students, is another goodsource of talented staff.

Volunteers can be sought for both long-term, institutionalized program efforts, aswell as for specific events or activities(such as victim impact panels or commem-orations of National Crime Victims’ RightsWeek in April). The following are potentialsources for volunteers:

Program Staffing

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Program Staffing

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One of the key elements of any corrections-based victim services program is its publicawareness and victim outreach efforts.There are four good reasons to focus onthis area:

1. Unless victims know that rights andservices are available to them, theywill not seek to access them.

2. Many of the program’s efforts requirecross-disciplinary efforts with alliedjustice professionals, as well as state-level and community-based victim andsocial service programs.

3. The agency’s victim services can providepositive influences on public policymakers who make decisions that affectthe direction and funding resourcesavailable to correctional agencies.

4. Perhaps most importantly, the agency’sprogram offers excellent publicrelations opportunities that will cast apositive light on correctional efforts,that benefit crime victims and thevictim service community, and thatpromote public safety and offenderaccountability at the same time.

Public awareness, with a focus on victimoutreach and education, can be accom-plished in the following ways.

Direct Victim Outreach

In many States, officials in the “front end”of the justice system provide pocket-sizecards to victims that enumerate their rightsincluding those in the postsentencingphases of their cases. These cards alsoinclude contact information for Stateand/or local victim services, including toll-free information numbers, and should listthe telephone number for the corrections-based victim services program.

Some States have passed constitutionalamendments that provide victims withrights to be present, heard, and informedthroughout the criminal justice system,such as Arizona and Colorado. A multi-copy, color-coded, pressure sensitive formis utilized that allows victims or theirlawful representatives to simply check therights they request or waive. These forms,available for victims of both adult andjuvenile offenders, are then provided tothe following individuals:

Public Awareness

• State victim service coalitions and/orlocal victim service programs.

• United Way Voluntary Action Centers.

• County/Community Volunteer Centers.

• Retired Senior Volunteer Program(RSVP).

Some local newspapers (especiallyweeklies) also provide free classifiedadvertisements for volunteers.

Corrections-based victim service programsshould provide volunteers and interns

with clear job descriptions that clarifyduties, responsibilities, and agency expec-tations and also meet the needs of thevolunteer employee.

Volunteer programs must consider and beresponsive to liability issues relevant to theuse of volunteers and interns, especiallywhen they have access to confidentialvictim information or have responsibilitiesthat expose them to inmates or offendersunder community supervision.

• Victim or his/her lawful representative.

• Law enforcement agencies.

• Custodial agencies.

• Prosecutor.

• Victim/witness program.

• Corrections-based victim servicesprogram.

• Court/diversion programs.

This form provides consistency in bothvictims’ requests for enforcing or waivingtheir rights, and in the chain-of-accessibilityof this vital information across agencieswithin the criminal or juvenile justicesystem continuum. A sample of the “victimrequest for, or waiver of, rights” is includedin the “Victim and Community Notification” section of the Promising Practices andStrategies for Victim Services in Correctionsnotebook.

Toll-free Telephone Number

For many victims, a long distancetelephone call poses a financial burden. Assuch, many correctional agencies have toll-free telephone numbers, often withautomated answering systems available24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week that referinquiries to the appropriate staff. This typeof service is particularly beneficial tovictims for whom location or cost might bebarriers to accessing rights and services.

Brochure

Many victims, citizens, and even victimservice providers don’t fully understandcorrectional systems—how they work andintegrate with other justice agencies, thedifferences between community and insti-tutional corrections, and the differencesbetween probation and parole. All victimservices programs should have a brochurethat provides the following information:

• Description of the agency.

• Victims’ rights and services availablefrom the agency, and how they areaccessed, e.g., victim notificationenrollment requirements, uponrequest only, by completing certainforms, etc.

• How (or if) the agency interacts withallied justice agencies.

• The most common questions victimsask about rights and services.

• Confidentiality provisions (if applicable).

• Contact information (address,telephone number [toll-free, if appli-cable], fax, e-mail address, andagency Web site address).

• Contact information for supportingvictim services at the State andcommunity level, e.g., victim compen-sation, statewide coalitions, etc.

• A list of national toll-free informationand referral numbers for additionalvictim assistance.

In addition, some States—such as Kansas,Washington, Pennsylvania, and SouthCarolina—have a brochure paneldedicated to victim notification requeststhat is detachable and can be mailed tothe victim services program for enrollmentfor this service.

Brochures should be developed inconjunction with the agency’s communica-tions or public information office and canbe designed to have a “family look.”Sample brochures are featured in theappendixes of the “Public Awareness andVictim Outreach” section of the PromisingPractices and Strategies for Victim Servicesin Corrections notebook.

Telephone Rolodex Card

A Rolodex card that includes contact infor-mation for the agency’s victim servicesprogram, including address, telephone

Public Awareness

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Public Awareness

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number, and e-mail information, is anexcellent outreach tool for crime victims,service providers, and allied professionals.An example of the Rolodex card utilizedby the Ohio Department of Rehabilitationand Correction is included in Appendix G.

Posters

A number of agencies, such as the paroleboards in the District of Columbia andGeorgia, have designed posters thatenumerate victims’ rights, how victims canaccess these rights and related services,and who to contact for additional informa-tion. Such posters are excellent, cost-effective tools for both victim and publicoutreach and should be distributed tovictim service organizations, allied justiceagencies, and sites where important publicservice information can be posted (such ascommunity bulletin boards, libraries,student centers at universities, etc.).

Public Service Announcements

Victim services programs can work inconjunction with the agency’s audio/visualservices to develop 30- and 60-secondpublic service announcements, in bothaudio and video formats, for statewidedistribution to television and radio stations.In Maine, an excellent video public serviceannouncement that describes victims’rights and provides the Department ofCorrections’ toll-free telephone number forvictim assistance was developed as avolunteer project by students fromSouthern Maine Technical College. Thescript was prepared by the Departmentand narrated by Jeff Merrill, Warden of theMaine State Prison.

Victim-Directed Publications

The Department of Corrections in Oklahomaand Ohio have published excellent

compendia of victims’ poetry and writingsfor widespread dissemination. These publi-cations display a true commitment to theagencies’ efforts to generate broader under-standing of victims’ feelings, needs, andpersonal experiences.

Many correctional agencies also publishnewsletters that focus specifically on victim-related issues. A sample copy of theOklahoma Department of CorrectionsVictim Services Unit’s monthly newsletter,Trends for Victims, is included in the“Public Awareness and Victim Outreach”section of the Promising Practices andStrategies for Victim Services in Correctionsnotebook.

Educational Videotape

In 1991, the California Department ofCorrections Victim Services Program devel-oped an 11-minute videotape entitled“Helping Crime Victims” which describes theagency, provides basic information aboutwhat happens to prisoners, and enumerateson available victims’ rights and services.Produced through a partnership between theagency’s Victim Services Program andDepartment of Communications, the video-tape is an excellent promising practice forreplication. All victim service representativesutilize copies of the videotape for presenta-tions to victims, victim service agencies, andpublic forums. The videotape is also usedfor in-staff training.

Criminal or Juvenile JusticeSystem Videotape

In South Carolina, the Victim AssistanceNetwork utilized VOCA funds to producean outstanding 30-minute film that depicts“a walk through the criminal justicesystem” for victims of crime. Beginningwith law enforcement and culminatingwith corrections and parole, the speakerson the videotape, who are actual justice

and victim service professionals, providesimple, specific information about victims’rights and services at their juncture in thecriminal justice system. The continuum ofvictim services is emphasized as crucial toproviding quality, comprehensive victimassistance.

Electronic Outreach

As corrections “enters the Information Age,”many agencies are establishing sites on theWorld Wide Web that provide public infor-mation about their mission, programs, andservices. Agency Web sites should include apage designated specifically to victimservices, such as that sponsored by theOhio Department of Rehabilitation andCorrection (www.drc.ohio.gov). In addition,Web sites can offer electronic linkages toother Web sites dedicated to victim assis-tance issues such as that sponsored by theNational Center for Victims of Crime(www.nvc.org).

Another innovative application of Web siteshails from the Illinois Department ofCorrections. Crime victims who havespecific identifying information for theirincarcerated offenders can access informa-tion about that offender’s status andlocation through the Department’s Web site.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

Since 1981, victims, advocates, and justiceprofessionals have sponsored publicawareness activities nationwide tocommemorate National Crime Victims’Rights Week (NCVRW), which is heldduring April each year. In many States,correctional agencies sponsor orcosponsor special events and activities:

• Inmate and staff fundraisers in Californiathat raise hundreds of thousands ofdollars for victim services programs.

• Training conferences in many Statesthat focus on victims’ needs, rights,and services throughout the justicesystem, including community andinstitutional corrections.

• Distribution of brochures, publicservice posters and buttons aboutvictims’ rights and services. Forexample, in Ohio an inmate designedthe artwork for the 1997 NCVRWbutton with the State slogan “Tyingthe Knot With Victim Services.” Thistradition continues from year to yearas inmates design button artworkhoping their design is chosen torepresent NCVRW.

• In 1996, the California YouthAuthority published a “newspaper”dedicated to victims’ issues andconcerns, which was distributedstatewide and even at national victimservice and correctional conferences.

• A tree-planting sponsored by theMissouri Department of Corrections in1997 at 38 district offices and 19prisons, with the ultimate goal beingthe creation of “peace parks.” Treeswere donated by the StateConservation Department, and theevent was planned in collaborationwith local victim service providers ineach community.

• Ceremonies that honor the memoriesof crime victims such as thosesponsored over many years in Texasand California.

A National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekResource Guide sponsored by the U.S.Department of Justice, Office for Victimsof Crime, which is available free to correc-tional agencies from the OVC ResourceCenter by calling 800–627–6872, contains avariety of public education and victimoutreach resources in camera-ready formatfor simple replication and distribution.

Public Awareness

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Public Awareness

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Organizational members of the NationalCenter for Victims of Crime receive anannual National Crime Victims’ RightsWeek Strategies for Action Kit, whichincludes suggestions and guidelines forpublic awareness activities and specialevents along with a series of publicservice posters to promote victims’ rights

during National Crime Victims’ RightsWeek and throughout the year.

Many States have planning committees tocoordinate National Crime Victims’ RightsWeek activities that would welcomeinvolvement and input from correctionalagencies.

In the 1990s, the victim services disciplinehas focused many of its efforts on creatingcomprehensive, multidisciplinary approachesto victims’ rights and related programs. Thisfocus seeks a seamless web of communica-tions among all entities that have responsi-bilities for the enforcement of victims’ rightsand the provision of victim services, andattempts to ensure that victims don’t “fallthrough the cracks” of a system that shouldbe designed to protect them. Corrections-based victim services are an integral compo-nent of these important networking efforts.

There are several useful “tools of the trade”to enhance multidisciplinary networkingefforts, including the following:

Information and Referral

With over 9,000 victim service organiza-tions nationwide, there are endless sourcesof valuable information and victim supportavailable of which corrections-based victimservice programs must be aware. Eachprogram should be capable of makingreferrals to the following:

• Local, State, and national victimservices programs and services,including victim compensation.

• All local and State criminal justiceagencies.

• The national toll-free information andreferral telephone numbers that specifically provide assistance and

support to victims of crime andcriminal justice resources (seeAppendix H).

• The U.S. Department of Justice-sponsored resource centers that areaccessible by telephone, in writing,or by electronic mail such as theOffice for Victims of Crime ResourceCenter and the National CriminalJustice Reference Service.

• The numerous Web sites and victimchat rooms/discussion forums avail-able on the Internet that provideinformation and peer support forvictims. (A roster of victim-relatedWeb sites is included in the“Resources” section of the PromisingPractices and Strategies for VictimServices in Corrections notebook.)

• Local, State, and national trainingopportunities in which victims whocontact corrections agencies might beinterested in attending.

• State and local programs that seekvictims as volunteers.

Cross-Training

Each corrections-based victim servicesprogram should develop training modulesto inform and educate allied professionals,including victim service providers, about itsprograms and services. The same types ofinformation can be condensed or expanded

Networking

to fit training time requirements; 30-minute,60-minute and 120-minute modules aremost appropriate. The use of audio/visualmaterials, including brochures, fact sheets,videotapes, and overhead transparencies,enhance the quality of presentations.

Similarly, correctional agencies shouldseek opportunities to train their employeesabout victims’ rights and services in theirState available from both system- andcommunity-based agencies. Segments canfocus on the following topics:

• Victims’ rights and agency responsibil-ities within law enforcement, courts,and other correctional agencies.

• Victims’ rights and services thatrequire a continuum of cross-agencycollaboration, such as restitutionmonitoring and ensuring that victimnotification requests made to theprosecutor are forwarded to thecorrectional agency and/or parolingauthority.

• Victims’ needs, rights, and servicesrelevant to specific victims, includingvictims of property crime, childabuse, sexual assault, familyviolence, elder abuse, drunk driving,juvenile offenders, and survivors ofhomicide.

Guest speakers from allied agenciesshould be invited to present these topics

at orientation and continuing educationclasses. Their curricula and relatedresources can be incorporated intostandardized staff training manuals.

Interagency Agreements

Often, victims’ rights and services are notproperly implemented because differentagencies believe another entity hasresponsibility for their delivery. The bestway to overcome this obstacle, whichoften re-victimizes victims who need andexpect their rights to be enforced andservices to be provided, is to developinteragency agreements that detail thefollowing issues:

• Authority of specific rights and services,i.e., by law, agency policy, etc.

• Who is responsible for implementa-tion, i.e., individual(s) and/oragencies.

• Time frame for implementation.

• The chronological order of implementation.

• Any rights or remedies a victim haswhen his/her rights are not enforced,or mandated services are not provided.

Interagency agreements fill gaps in servicedelivery, and provide a “safety net” forvictims who need assistance.

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Victim Notification

At the very core of most corrections-basedvictim services programs are notificationservices that inform victims (and sometimeswitnesses) about the status of offendersunder the supervision of the agency. Three-fourths of adult correctional agencies, overhalf of juvenile correctional agencies, and 8out of 10 paroling authorities have require-ments to notify at least some types of victims about changes in the status of their

offenders. As of 1997, 23 States provide victims with the constitutional right to notification of an offender’s status in thepostconviction release and/or release proceeding—a public policy approach thatis rapidly gaining widespread application.

While the “Victim and CommunityNotification” section of the PromisingPractices and Strategies for Victim Services

Victim Notification


Victim Notification

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The right to be heard at key stages of thejustice and corrections processes has,historically, been one of the key tenets ofthe victims’ rights discipline. Most Statesprovide victims with varied rights relevantto victim impact as stated in the NationalCenter for Victims of Crime’s 1996Legislative Sourcebook:

• Forty-four States provide victims withthe right to be heard as part of apresentence report.

• All 50 States provide for the right tobe heard at sentencing.

• Forty-three States provide for theright to be heard at parole hearings.

• Sixteen States provide for the right tobe heard at pardon, commutation,and/or clemency proceedings.

Types of Victim ImpactStatements

There are currently eight types of victimimpact statements (VIS) that are utilized bycourts and correctional agencies in theUnited States:

1. Written VIS, accepted either in awritten statement/letter from thevictim, or on a designated VIS form.

2. Oral VIS (also known as “allocution”),where the victim personally addressesthe sentencing court or paroling,commutation, or clemency authority.

3. Audiotaped VIS.

4. Videotaped VIS.

Victim Impact Statements

in Corrections notebook contains detailedinformation about initiating and enhancingcorrections-based victim notificationprograms, there are ten core elements forconsideration in notification programdevelopment:

1. Policies and procedures to guideprogram implementation.

2. Program staffing—including centraloffice staff and/or work site staff.

3. How victims and/or witnesses arequalified for notification services.

4. Who is eligible for notification, i.e., allor some victims/lawful representativesand/or all or some witnesses.

5. Program enrollment process andrequirements for enrollees.

6. Specific types of notification for whichvictims/witnesses are eligible.

7. When does notification occur (e.g.,how far in advance of an offender’smovement?).

8. Victim confidentiality of notificationrequests and related information.

9. Use of paper-based versus electronicnotification tracking systems.

10. Handling victims’ reactions to notifica-tion or handling needs that arise fromnotification (e.g., accompaniment tocourt for hearing or released offenderto work too close to victim’s home).

In addition, correctional agencies musthave comprehensive victim outreachresources—including brochures, enroll-ment cards, public service posters, etc.—that publicize the availability of victimnotification services and how victims andwitnesses can access such services.

5. Closed-circuit televised VIS (which areespecially applicable with casesinvolving victim/witness intimidation).

6. Child VIS offered in measures that arecommensurate with the child victim’sage and cognitive development.

7. Teleconferenced VIS (which areespecially applicable for out-of-townvictims, and/or victims with disabilities).

8. Community impact statements, utilized inFederal cases involving drugs and/organg activities in which representativesfrom affected neighborhoods are invitedto submit written VIS or oral testimony, atcommunity meetings about how crime,drugs, and gangs affect the quality of lifein their homes and neighborhoods.

The Value of Victim ImpactStatements

In general, VIS provide victims with theopportunity to discuss the physical, finan-cial and emotional effects the crime hashad on their families, as well as themselves.Such input is vital to helping courts andcorrectional authorities make informeddecisions about sentencing and release.

In addition, VIS provide useful informationabout the following issues:

• Restitution.

• Other financial obligations (such aschild support, rent/mortgagepayments, costs for medical billsand counseling, insurance, livingexpenses, etc.)

• Financial losses (including repairs forcrime-scene cleanup and replacementvalue of lost or stolen property).

• Measures to promote victim safetyand security (including protectiveorders, noncontact orders, supervised

child visitation, and special condi-tions of probation or parole).

• Victims’ wishes relevant to theirparticipation in victim/offenderprograms (such as mediation/dialogue, family group conferencing,community reparation boards, etc.).

• Victims’ recommendations foroffender treatment and supervision(including attendance at victimimpact panels, alcohol, or othersubstance abuse treatment, sexoffender treatment, anger manage-ment, job skills development, etc.).

Barriers to Effective VictimImpact Statements

There are eight barriers identified by victimsand service providers that may inhibit effec-tive, comprehensive usage of VIS:

1. Indifferent forms.

2. Multiple forms that must by completedmore than once by victims and thatare not shared among criminal/juvenilejustice and correctional authorities.

3. Using VIS as a restitution document only.

4. The format of some VIS forms that donot ask appropriate questions togarner the most useful information nor provide ample space for answers.

5. Limited explanation of instructions forcompleting the VIS.

6. Language barriers.

7. Confidentiality concerns, i.e., whetheror not the convicted offender and/orhis/her counsel have access to the VISinformation.

8. Lack of consideration of VIS by judicialand correctional authorities.


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Special Considerations for VictimImpact Statements

Courts and correctional authorities shouldbe aware of and, to the degree possible,provide the following special services forvictims in completing their VIS:

• Interpreters for oral VIS when victimsspeak languages other than English,including sign language.

• Assistance for illiterate victims tocomplete written VIS.

• Child victim impact statements.

Measures to Increase andImprove the Use of VictimImpact Statements

The most significant measure to expandand improve the use of VIS is training andcrosstraining of prosecutors, judges, proba-tion and paroling authorities, and victimservice providers. In addition, victimsshould be informed of their statutory or

constitutional right to submit VIS at everyjuncture of the criminal and juvenile justicesystems.

Agencies should practice due diligence inlocating victims to secure VIS information,for example, by contacting the prosecutingattorney or sending a certified letter to thelast known address. They should take careto guarantee the confidentiality of suchinformation. Plea bargain, sentencing, andparole hearings should be postponed untilvictims who choose to submit VIS areallowed to do so. Finally, VIS provided atthe time of presentencing or sentencingshould be included in a confidentialsection of offenders’ case files, and shouldbe reviewed by paroling, commutation,and/or clemency authorities at the time ofthe offender’s consideration for release.

Samples of VIS, derived from the VictimImpact Statement: A Victim’s Right toSpeak, A Nation’s Responsibility to Listenmanual published by the NCVC andMADD with support from the U.S.Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, are included in Appendix I.

The Importance of Restitution

The importance of victim restitution isdemonstrated by the following factors:

• Victims suffer considerable monetarylosses as a result of crime, many ofwhich are not recoverable throughinsurance, victim compensationfunds, or other forms of financialrecovery.

• Offender accountability must incorpo-rate measures to directly reimbursevictims for their financial lossesrelated to the criminal or delinquentact.

• Victim compensation programscannot begin to fulfill the demandsfor financial recovery from victims,

and compensation programs can beaugmented by restitution paymentsto their funds.

• When restitution orders are notenforced and collected, ultimatelyAmerica’s victims and taxpayers bearthe burden of financial responsibilitythat should belong to offenders.

• The fulfillment of restitution obliga-tions comprises a tenet of restorativejustice that encompasses effortsamong offenders, victims, andcommunities to attempt to repair theharm caused by crime.

• Restitution payments are a necessaryand important reminder to offenders

about the direct harm they havecaused to victims and to theircommunity.

• While restitution cannot begin to fullycompensate for the harm victimsendure, it is a “good faith” effort byoffenders to “right their wrongs.”

Furthermore, restitution is a strong measureof the effectiveness of America’s criminal

and juvenile justice systems. When citizensassess whether or not the justice systemsare accomplishing their mission, restitutionis an important evaluation criterion. Assuch, not only should offenders be account-able for victim restitution, but our justicesystems should be held equally accountablefor the enforcement of restitution orders.

Restitution Procedures

While all 50 States, the District of Columbiaand the Federal government have statutoryprovisions for victim restitution, it is one ofthe most under-enforced of all victims’rights. There are a myriad of barriers to theenforcement of restitution including thefollowing:

• Judicial orders of restitution that arenot carried through to parolingauthorities to incorporate as condi-tions of community supervision.

• Other financial obligations such ascourt costs, fees, fines, costs of incar-ceration, and even payments to theCrime Victims Compensation Fundoften take precedence over restitu-tion to the individual crime victim.

• The often misguided belief that “youcan’t squeeze blood from a turnip,”referring to offenders who appear tobe indigent.

• Lack of coordination among agenciesregarding who collects and disbursesrestitution to victims.

• Lack of automated systems tomanage and expedite restitutioncollection and disbursement.

Correctional agencies must acknowledge,through policies and practice, that restitu-tion is a basic right that holds offenders

financially accountable for their criminalactions, and provides victims with somemonetary compensation to cover theirlosses resulting from crime. These includeproperty loss, medical expenses, costs ofcounseling, funeral and burial expenses,lost wages, and many other considera-tions. Restitution should be ordered fromadjudicated persons in every case, regard-less of the sentence or disposition imposed,in which a crime victim suffers a loss,unless compelling and extraordinaryreasons exist to the contrary.

The basic principles of a corrections-basedvictim restitution program should includethe following:

• Understanding of and adherence toState laws that govern the ordering,collection, and disbursement ofvictim restitution.

• Policies and procedures that clearlystate who within the agency isresponsible for restitution collectionand disbursement.

• Interagency agreements amongcourts, community corrections, insti-tutional corrections and relevantvictim agencies (such as victimcompensation) regarding the man-agement of restitution collection and disbursement.


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• Cross-training programs amongagencies having any responsibilityfor victim restitution that identify andfill gaps in program implementation.

• Written information made available tovictims that clarifies their rights torestitution as well as the specific rolesand responsibilities of individuals andagencies to implement these rights.

Helping Victims Document Their Losses

To ensure accurate and complete restitu-tion orders, victims are required todocument their losses in writing for thecourt or paroling authority. It is importantto provide victims with guidelines aboutthe types of documentation that areneeded to depict their out-of-pocket andprojected expenses for the future.

Some considerations for guidelines thatshould be provided in writing to victimsinclude the following:

• Employer statements (letters oraffidavits) that document unpaid timeoff from work the victim took as aresult of injuries from the crime orinvolvement in justice processes.

• Documentation of any workers’compensation claims submittedand/or claims payments received bythe victim.

• Copies of bills for services directlyrelated to victims’ financial recoveryfrom the crime.

• Any receipts for items or services.

• Documentation that estimates thevalue of stolen property.

• Photos of valuables that were stolen.

• Copies of any documentation, oftenprovided by local law enforcementagencies (e.g., records of serial num-bers, photos, etc.), that is intended toaid victims in the recovery of stolenproperty.

• Any law enforcement records thatindicate the status of stolen property(e.g., property recovered, recoveredbut damaged, etc.).

• Copies of victims’ applications toand/or copies of checks receivedfrom the State victim compensationfund.

• Copies of insurance claims and relatedcorrespondence between the victimand his/her insurance company, aswell as copies of checks the victimmay have received to cover losses.

Immediate Losses

During the presentence investigation,victims should be asked to report informa-tion about their losses by completing orupdating a financial worksheet andproviding documentation as describedabove. A sample financial worksheet isincluded in Appendix J.

The range of these losses can include thefollowing:

Medical Care

• Emergency transportation to thehospital.

• Rape kit examinations that are notimmediately paid by a third party.

• All expenses related to the hospitalstay, including the room, laboratory

tests, medications, x-rays, and medicalsupplies.

• HIV testing expenses, if applicable.

• Expenses for care provided by physi-cians (both inpatient and outpatient),medication, and medical supplies.

• Fees for physical or occupationaltherapy.

• Replacement of eyeglasses, hearingaids, or other sensory aid itemsdamaged, destroyed, or stolen fromthe victim.

• Rental and related costs for equipmentused for victims’ physical restoration,i.e., wheelchairs, wheelchair ramps,special beds, crutches, etc.

Mental Health Services

• Fees for counseling or therapy for thevictim and his/her family members.

• Any costs incurred as a result of thevictim’s participation in support ortherapy groups.

• Expenses for medications thatdoctors may prescribe for victims tohelp ease their trauma following acrime.

Funeral Expenses

• Costs associated with burials, i.e.,caskets, cemetery plots, memorialservices, etc.

• Expenses for travel to plan and/orattend funerals.

Time Off From Work

• To repair damage following propertycrimes.

• To attend or participate in court orparole proceedings.

• To attend doctors’ appointments forinjuries or mental health needsdirectly resulting from the crime.

Other Expenses

• Crime scene cleanup.

• Costs of replacing locks, changingsecurity devices, etc.

• Expenses related to child or eldercare when victims have to testify incourt.

• Relocation expenses.

• Fees incurred in changing banking orcredit card accounts.

Projected Expenses

Victimization often results in injuries orlosses that are long-term in nature. Whileit is not possible to accurately documentsuch projected expenses, it is possible todocument expert opinions as to futurefinancial obligations the victim might incuras a direct result of the crime.

Victims should be advised to seek docu-mentation (a letter or affidavit) fromprofessionals who are providing them with medical or mental health services that offers an estimate of the victims’future treatment needs, as well as relatedexpenses. Such costs can include thefollowing:

• Long-term medical treatment.

• Physical or occupational rehabilita-tion or therapy.

• Mental health counseling or therapy.

• Time that must be taken off fromwork to receive any of the aboveservices.

The justice professional responsible forassessing victims’ restitution needs shouldprovide this documentation to the court orparoling authority.

Helping Victims Document Their Losses

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Assessing the Offender’s Ability to Pay

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Assessing the Offender’s Ability to Pay

Alternative Methods of Restitution Collection

The “other side of the coin” of victimdocumentation of financial losses isconducting an assessment of the offender’sability to pay in order to recommend anappropriate restitution payment plan. Theresponsible justice agency should evaluatethe offender’s current and future financialstatus in making recommendations aboutboth the amount of restitution as well asthe payment schedule.

The following are issues for consideration:

• Current employment status, includingsalary, benefits, and pension plans.

• Projections on future employability(that assess the type of job and theremuneration offenders mightsecure).

• Assets not essential to the offender’squality of life (excluding home orautomobile ownership) that include

such assets as savings accounts,investments such as stocks, bondsand mutual funds, income frominvestment properties, etc.

• Potential contingency funds, such as State and Federal income taxreturns, winnings from lotteries, orinheritances.

In Summit County, Colorado, the FifthJudicial District Probation Departmenttrains its officers to examine the entirefinancial situation of offenders whenlooking at issues concerning their abilityto pay restitution. For example, if anoffender owes restitution and owns expen-sive, nonnecessity items (e.g., television orcompact disc player), then the probationofficer can ask the judge to order theoffender to sell their possessions to payrestitution to the victim(s).

At times, it becomes necessary to employinnovative and more controlled methodsfor collecting restitution when offendersfail to pay as scheduled. Efforts imple-mented by a variety of agencies and juris-dictions include the following:

• Civil remedies.

• Forfeiture of bond money for restitu-tion obligations.

• Collection of restitution whileoffenders are institutionalized as wellas when they are placed on parole.

• Providing incentives for incarceratedoffenders to pay restitution.

• Acceptance of credit card payments.

• Converting restitution orders tocommunity service.

• Extending the term of communitysupervision until offenders fulfilltheir restitution obligations.

• Use of private collection agencies.

Additional resources relevant to victimrestitution are included in the “Restitution”section of the Promising Practices andStrategies for Victim Services in Correctionsnotebook.

Victim Protection

One of the most effective ways toencourage victim participation in theentire criminal justice process is to ensuretheir safety from intimidation or harm byoffenders, or those associated withoffenders. Whether “participation” denotesserving as a witness for the prosecution,providing victim impact statements, oroffering testimony relevant to parolerevocation hearings, victims and witnessesare more likely to be involved if effortsare made to promote their personalsafety.

Correctional agencies have an importantobligation to protect victims from intimida-tion, harassment and/or harm by offendersunder their supervision. A combination ofsound policies and modern technologyoffer many innovative approaches toincreasing and enforcing victim protectionmeasures such as follows:

• Protective orders, restraining orders,or “no contact” orders issued uponthe victim’s request at no cost (withthe most effective orders having notime constraints, but rather issued as“permanent” orders by judges orparoling authorities).

• Protection for victims of domesticviolence and/or stalking throughJurisMonitor—a unit in the victim’shome that signals the victim, locallaw enforcement, and a centralizedoperations center when an offender,who is wearing an electronicmonitoring device, comes within a150–500 foot perimeter of the victim’shome.

• Cell phones automatically pro-grammed to dial “911” when a victimfeels threatened or at any risk froman offender.

• Panic buttons on necklaces that arelinked to “911.”

• Inmate phone systems that onlyallow pre-approved telephonecontacts that can preclude the victim.

• Institutional correctional agencies’policies and practices that monitorinmates’ outgoing correspondenceand phone calls.

Paramount to victim protection are clearlywritten policies and procedures thatrequire the following:

• Conform with and enforce provisionsof all State laws relevant to victimprotection, including protectiveorders, anti-stalking statutes, etc.

• Define intimidation, harassment,and/or harm.

• Clarify what victims must do to seekprotective measures and whichindividual(s), agency(s), or unit(s)are responsible for enforcement.

• Provide guidelines to victims fordocumenting instances of intimida-tion or harassment.

• Provide for interagency agreementsthat clarify respective roles andresponsibilities for victim protectionand security.

Additional information about protectingvictims is included in the “ProtectingVictims from Intimidation, Harassment orHarm” section of the Promising Practicesand Strategies for Victim Services inCorrections notebook.

Victim Protection

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VICTIM SERVICES IN CORRECTIONS26

Handling Complaints from Victims and Witnesses

Handling Complaints from Victims and Witnesses

Parole Processes

The majority of correctional agencies havereceived complaints from victims andwitnesses about harassment, intimidation,or retaliation by offenders and theirfamilies, and/or about issues related tooffenders’ release and location. Yet only40 percent of adult correctional agencies,48 percent of juvenile correctionalagencies, and 50 percent of parolingauthorities have formal procedures forhandling victims’ complaints.

The following policies and procedures forhandling victims’ complaints must bedeveloped:

• Designate to whom a victim shouldaddress his/her complaints and concerns.

• Establish guidelines for investigatingthe validity of complaints.

• Identify the range of responses anagency can take when complaintsare found to be valid.

• Notify the victim of the agency’sresponse to his/her complaint.

The agency should educate victim serviceproviders about its process for handlingvictim complaints so they can explainprocedures and provide appropriatecontact information for victims, uponrequest.

For many victims, the parole process can bean intimidating and frightening experience.Any feelings of safety or security they havehad due to the offender’s incarceration arejeopardized by even considering the inmatefor parole. The need for information aboutthe parole process becomes vital; similarly,the importance of victim input into paroleproceedings cannot be underestimated.

There are 12 basic rights and services thatparoling authorities should provide tocrime victims before, during, and after theparole process:

1. Information about the parole process(including parole hearings), available inwritten, audio, and/or video formats inlanguages commensurate with victimpopulations in the agency’s State.

2. Notification (upon request and inwriting) of upcoming parole proceed-ings at least 60 days in advance of anyhearing.

3. Designation of professionals or volun-teers to accompany victims to parolehearings.

4. Procedures to keep victims andoffenders separate by sight and soundat parole hearings, if victims so desire,(i.e., in States where victim presence atthe parole hearing does not requireoffender presence at the same time).

5. Waiting areas for victims that areseparate by sight and sound from theoffender and his/her family and friends.

6. Acceptance of victim impact statementsbefore or during parole hearings inperson by the victim (allocution),written, audiotaped, and/or videotaped,and in measures that are commensuratewith the victim’s age, cognitive devel-opment, and culture (multilingual).

7. Confidentiality of victim informationand victim impact statements from the

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offender and his/her counsel before,during, and after parole hearings.

8. Timely notification of the outcome ofany decisions resulting from parolehearings.

9. Notification of parole violations andrelevant hearings to both the victim ofthe original offense that resulted inincarceration as well as the victim ofthe offense for which the revocationhearing is being conducted.

10. Information for victims about parolesupervision, conditions of parole, thename of the parole agent, and who tocontact within the paroling authorityfor additional information or resources.

11. Training for all staff involved in paroleproceedings about basic victimologytheory, along with an overview of Statelaw, policies and victim servicesrelevant to the agency.

12. Training for all State and local victimservice providers about the paroleprocess and related victims’ rights.

These rights and services should bedescribed in detail in policies, proceduresand staff duty statements.

Additional information is included in the“Victim Services in Parole” section of thePromising Practices and Strategies forVictim Services in Corrections notebook.

There are four key issues relevant to allstaff in the correctional agency, as well asits victim services program team:

1. Internal training.

2. Informational bulletins.

3. Internal advisory committee.

4. Departmental forums.

Internal Training

All correctional agencies should incorpo-rate a 4-hour training program for newemployees, and at least a 2-hour trainingprogram for veteran employees as acomponent of their annual training. Thefollowing issues should be addressed:

• Agency policies and proceduresrelated to victims’ rights and services.

• An overview of State victims’ rightslaws, especially those that mandatecorrections-based victims’ rightsand services.

• A system-wide perspective of victims’rights and services from law enforce-ment through corrections, focusing oninteragency collaboration.

• Victimology theory, victim trauma,the range of victim reactions to crimeand the criminal justice system andvictims’ needs specific to the crimesthat were committed against them.

• National, State, and local resourcesfor victim information and referrals.

When possible, victims and local serviceproviders should be asked to copresent atany internal training sessions sponsoredby the agency.

Agencies should also establish internaltraining goals that focus on how thetraining will translate to improvedprograms and services for victims of crime.The Texas Department of Criminal Justice(TDCJ) incorporates divisions responsiblefor community justice assistance, institu-tions, State jails, and parole and established10 program goals that can be obtainedthrough comprehensive training:



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1. To ensure that victims are treated withrespect and dignity by all TDCJpersonnel.

2. To ensure that victims are providedwith accurate information in the mostexpedient manner possible.

3. To ensure victims are aware of theirrights in the criminal justice processregarding notification and paroleprotest procedures.

4. To ensure that TDCJ personnel aretrained in victim sensitivity issues.

5. To develop and assist a statewideprofessional victim liaison network ineach Community Supervision andCorrections Department, District ParoleOffice, and Institutional Division prisonunit.

6. To create a Crime Stoppers program“behind the walls” of the TexasDepartment of Criminal JusticeInstitutional Division facilities.

7. To provide victims of violent crime theopportunity to have a structured, face-to-face meeting with their offender(s)in a secure, safe environment, in orderto facilitate a healing recovery process.

8. To develop a staff victimization andcrisis response program for the TDCJ.

9. To provide for the creation of a libraryfor victims, victim advocates, and TDCJstaff on a statewide-access basis.

10. To provide opportunities for the greatestpossible access and use of volunteerswithin TDCJ Victim Services.

Informational Bulletins

The concept of informational bulletins,developed by the California Department of Corrections Victim Services Program,provides information to internal staff, as well as to agencies throughout the

State and nation that are interested in corrections-based victims’ rights andservices. The bulletins (published quarterly)contain information about the Victim Serv-ices Program’s policies, services, currentactivities and programs, and future plans. Inaddition, issues that are most important tovictim clientele, such as restitution, notifica-tion, allocution, protection, etc., are summa-rized with innovative solutions to meetingvictims’ needs offered whenever possible.

Informational bulletins are helpful tools tokeep agency staff apprised of programactivities and changes in policies or proce-dures relevant to victim services, especiallychanges that may involve or affect them.For other correctional agencies and alliedprofessional justice agencies, such asprosecutors and the courts, the bulletinsshare innovations and ideas that can beeasily replicated at the local, State, andnational level in other jurisdictions.

Internal Advisory Committee

Members of the internal departmentaladvisory committee serve in an advisoryand review capacity to staff of the victimservices program and assist in the develop-ment of program policies, procedures, andresources.

Departmental Forums

Departmental training forums provide staffwith an understanding of various victimissues and concerns as well as ongoingactivities and programs within the agency.Activities include the identification of topics(which are often tied to current trendsaffecting victims and/or the agency in theState), resources needed, research of current activities and issues, and the presentation ofinformation to departmental staff.

The best place to host departmentalforums is on institution or department

Responding to Workplace Violence in Correctional Settings

Physical assaults. Sexual harassment.Hostage-taking incidents. Spitting andthrowing feces and urine. Rape. And theultimate violation: murder.

What to some people appears to simply bea litany of our worst violent crime fears is,for many correctional professionals, a dailythreat in their workplace. While muchattention has been focused on increasingincidents of workplace violence inAmerica, little attention has been paid tothe violent acts committed against thosewho dedicate their lives to public safetyand protection: corrections, probation, andparole professionals.

There is a flawed assumption that peoplewho choose corrections as their professionmust accept risks to their personal safety,and that being victimized is “just part ofthe job.” Certainly, corrections is a toughjob that is made even more difficult by thethreat and carrying out of violent acts.Additionally, such difficulties are enhancedwhen correctional agencies fail to adoptstrong policies and procedures thatpromote worker safety and victim assis-tance when an employee is victimized on-or off-the-job.

Stress, Trauma, and theCorrections Professional

Stress theory, developed by Dr. Hans Selyeand others, notes that individuals exist innormal states of equilibrium where theyestablish their own personal boundaries,usually based on a certain order andunderstanding of the world. Occasionalstressors will move the individual out ofthe state of equilibrium, but the majority ofpeople most of the time stay within afamiliar emotional range. Trauma throwspeople so far out of their range of equilib-rium that it is difficult for them to restore asense of balance in life. When they doestablish a new sense of balance, it willoften be different than prior to the trauma,with new boundaries and new definitions.

Like most people, corrections professionalsface developmental stressors that comefrom transitions in life, such as marriageand divorce, parenthood, and retirement.However, the level of chronic stressors thatoccur over and over again is extraordi-narily high for corrections professionals:supervising heinous criminals; job tensions;and feeling unsafe on an ongoing basisdue to the clientele with whom theyinteract. When corrections professionals


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• Victim services program staff.

• Community-based victim serviceproviders.

• System-based victim serviceproviders, e.g., law enforcement,prosecutors, public defenders, courts,etc.

• Crime victims and witnesses.

grounds. Considering the possibility thatvictim service providers may be involvedin the forums, this is a good way to intro-duce them to the department as well.

Departmental forums should be conductedas “trainings-for-trainers” so that participantscan return to their work sites and educateother staff. Forums should be held at leastquarterly throughout the year. Presenterscan include the following:



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are faced with the sudden, arbitrary acutestressor of a violent act perpetrated againstthem, which compounds the many otherstressors they endure, the resulting traumacan be overwhelming.

Responding to WorkplaceViolence: Ten Suggestions forCorrectional Agencies andAdministrators

Every correctional agency has an importantobligation to its employees to promotetheir safety and well-being. In order toshape the issues that must be addressed,California Youth Authority, Office ofPrevention and Victims Services, AssistantDirector Sharon English and public safetyconsultant Anne Seymour developed 10suggestions for agencies and administratorsto respond to workplace violence:

1. All corrections, probation, and paroleagencies should have clear policies andprocedures for responding to workplaceviolence that encourage reporting ofcriminal incidents and provide supportfor the victimized staff, witnesses, andentire unit or office in which the criticalincident occurred. The victim servicesprovided for staff and the rights staffhave as victims should be clearlydescribed.

2. All agencies should have emergencyresponse teams available around theclock with members trained in vic-timology theory, responses, and interventions.

3. Staff safety training programs shouldincorporate victim assistance inaddition to worker safety and criticalincident prevention.

4. Management and administrative staffshould be professionally trained indeath notification procedures that include in-person sensitive

notifications, crisis intervention, andonsite and continuing support formurdered employees’ family members.

5. Supervisors and managers must receivetraining on how victimization affectstheir employees’ career choices, howvictimized employees might treatinmates, parolees, or probationers, andhow victimized staff are viewed bytheir co-workers.

6. Procedures on staff reintegration mustbe established and practiced, focusingnot only on the victimized staffmember but also on his/her profes-sional peers as well.

7. Corrections professionals should beinvolved in any disciplinary hearings orcriminal proceedings resulting fromtheir victimization, including notifica-tion of case status; the right to bepresent at key proceedings; submissionof a victim impact statement; andprotection from intimidation, harass-ment or harm.

8. Corrections has an ongoing responsi-bility to the family of victimized staffmembers. Efforts should be made toprovide them with information, inputand support, not only at the crisis stageof the victimization but also in themonths that follow.

9. Agencies should establish policies andprocedures for rumor control followinga staff victimization or critical incident,which includes a brief statement offacts for agency employees, as well asfor the news media.

10. Corrections, probation, and paroleagencies should establish strong affilia-tions with local victim service organiza-tions. Over 9,000 local agencies canprovide crisis intervention, supportgroups for victimized staff, and trainingon victim trauma and reactionsfollowing a crime.

Appropriate Treatment forVictims and Survivors ofWorkplace Violence/Victimization

Agencies can lay a strong foundation uponwhich to implement workplace violencestrategies by clarifying employees’ rightswhen they are victimized in the line-of-duty. Just as crime victims in all 50 Statesand at the Federal level have a “Victims’Bill of Rights” that guides how the criminaljustice system should treat them and howtheir cases will be handled so shouldcorrectional agencies articulate similarrights for the fair treatment of correctionalstaff who are victimized by violence in theline-of-duty.

Guidelines for Correctional EmployeesWho Are Victimized in the Line-of-Duty

The following guidelines, modeled after“Victims’ Bills of Rights” adopted in mostStates, provide correctional agencies withideas for appropriate treatment of victim-ized staff, and offers employees a “check-list” of supportive services that can beprovided by the agency:

“As a victim of a serious crime committedwhile you were performing your duties,you will:

1. Be treated with dignity and respect bythe Department and all of its employees.

2. Be provided with direct assistance andsupport from the Department’s Officeof Victim Services for both you andyour family.

3. Be informed of these guidelines, asstated here, by your immediate super-visor within 48 hours following thecritical incident.

4. Receive timely information about thestatus of the administrative and/orcriminal proceedings related to thecritical incident.

5. Have a timely disposition of your case.

6. Be allowed to be present, uponrequest, at any administrative proceed-ings related to the critical incident—orto have a representative of your choicepresent at such proceedings—and to bepresent at any criminal proceedingsrelated to the critical incident, pursuantto [S]tate law.

7. Have the opportunity to submit avictim impact statement—either written,oral, audiotaped or videotaped—priorto the administrative disposition of thecase, and to have a record of yourvictim impact statement maintained in aconfidential section of the offender’scase file, and to be afforded this rightin the event of a criminal prosecution,pursuant to [S]tate law.

8. Be notified about the final dispositionof the case in a timely manner.

9. Be encouraged to enroll in theDepartment’s Victim NotificationProgram—regardless of whether yourcase is pursued as an administrative orcriminal matter—in order to be keptinformed of the offender’s status andlocation, pursuant to state law andagency policy, and to have your notifi-cation request and related informationkept confidential from the offender.

10. Be provided with reasonable protectionfrom the accused.

11. Receive restitution from the offender,either monetarily or as an appropriateform of community service within thecorrections community, based upon arecommendation from you.

12. Receive workers’ compensation and/orvictim compensation, and to receiveassistance with completing the associ-ated requirements.

13. Receive referrals for mental healthcounseling, upon request, for both youand members of your immediate family


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Program Evaluation



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from a competent professional who isqualified in providing crisis interventionand sensitive trauma response.

14. Receive information about and areferral to supportive victim servicesand assistance in your community.”

* The rights in criminal proceedingsmust be defined by individual correc-tional agencies in accordance with[S]tate (or [F]ederal) law.

Additional information about policies,protocols, and programs relevant toviolence in the corrections workplace isincluded in the “Responding to WorkplaceViolence and Staff Victimization” section ofthe Promising Practices and Strategies forVictim Services in Corrections notebook.

Monitoring LegislationMany corrections-based victim services aremandated by law. Of the 27,000 Federaland State statutes that currently guide theimplementation of crime victims’ rights,many apply to correctional agencies. Inaddition, 29 States have passed state-levelcrime victim constitutional amendments,the majority of which address victims’rights to participate throughout the correc-tional process. The proposed Federalconstitutional amendment for victims’rights introduced in the 104th Congress in1996 (see Appendix K) also provides forvictims to participate and be heard in thecorrections and parole processes in adult,juvenile, and military justice systems.

Corrections-based victim services programs,along with agency legislative divisions,should work closely with state-level victimservice coalitions to determine victims’needs and concerns that can be addressedby new laws. These important partnershipshelp develop mutual understanding of roles

and responsibilities relevant to victims. Italso enhances the increasingly popularapproach of offering “team testimony” tolegislative committees relative to corrections-based victims’ rights. Representatives ofcorrectional agencies testify with victims andservice providers about not only proposedmandated rights and services but also fiscalnotes that determine the money necessary toenforce new mandates.

The National Center for Victims of Crime inArlington, Virginia has a legislative databasewith 27,000 victims’ rights statutes. Its 1996Victims’ Rights Sourcebook offers a compila-tion and comparison of victims’ rights laws,many of which are pertinent to corrections.Correctional agencies can tap these valuable resources to compare their States’corrections-based victims’ rights, and securesamples of other States’ statutes, whichaffect victim notification, protection, restitu-tion, victim input, and other topics, to useas models for replication.

This overview of program evaluation isderived from the “Program Design, Devel-opment and Evaluation” chapter of AGuide to Enhancing Victim Serviceswithin Probation and Parole, published

by APPA with support from the U.S. De-partment of Justice, Office for Victims ofCrime in 1994.

Program design, development and staffingare the critical first phases of a victim

services program. These steps lay thefoundation for program implementationthat includes a specification of programfeatures, identification of a target popula-tion, articulation of program policies andprocedures, and a scheme for selecting,hiring and training program staff. Programsare never instituted in a vacuum, i.e., theyoften can have significant repercussions oreffects on other areas of department opera-tions and functions. They are also rarelyinstalled without a variety of problems orcomplications. Moreover, programs areobliged to demonstrate that they arefulfilling claimed objectives, and they areservicing an identifiable, needy population.Programs should not be inauguratedwithout a method to learn about theirplanning, structure, methodology, andimpact. Hence, there is a need for program evaluation.

What is Program Evaluation?

Program evaluation is a set of tools forgathering information to examine programformulation, implementation, and outcomes.It is a means to document the establishmentof the program and to show whether theprogram is achieving its purported goalsand serving its targeted clients. Programevaluation is actually a multidisciplinaryfield of applied social science that draws onconcepts and research protocols frompsychology, sociology, education,economics, administration and statistics.Program evaluation ultimately seeks toimprove the quality of program servicesthrough the application of skills andmethods for determining whether theprogram achieves its intended goals.

Purposes of Program Evaluation

Program evaluation can accomplish avariety of purposes, which includes thefollowing:

• Determines whether a particularprogram or programs are needed in aspecific area of service.

• Assists in the planning, staffing, andbudgeting of programs.

• Ascertains whether a program hasbeen implemented according to itsoriginal design and intent.

• Helps to determine whether aprogram should be continued asimplemented, expanded, modified, oraltogether eliminated.

• Gathers information to improveongoing program practices andservices and to monitor the effective-ness of programs.

• Measures the intended andunintended impact of programs andestablishes if a program is achievingits goals and objectives.

• Yields information to satisfy internalrecordkeeping requirements, as wellas requests for information fromfunding bodies, the public, andoutside agencies.

• Provides a systematic, running recordof program expenditures.

• Helps make a choice betweendifferent programs or approachesbeing offered in the same area ofservices.

• Aids in ensuring that a program is performing according to setstandards. (E. Posavac and R. Carey,Program Evaluation: Methods andCase Studies. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Simon and Schuster, 1989.)

Types of Program Evaluations

Evaluations of programs may be conductedfrom a number of different viewpoints andcan be differentiated by the kinds of

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Program Evaluation

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questions asked and the kinds of answersneeded to make informed decisions aboutprograms. Therefore, the scope of anevaluation depends on the specificpurposes for which it is being considered.(Peter Rossi and Howard Freeman. Eval-uation:A Systematic Approach. BeverlyHills, CA: Sage, 1982.)

The four general categories of evaluationsare need, process, outcome, and expenditures.

Need Evaluation

An assessment of need is designed toanswer questions about the target popula-tions such as their background characteris-tics, problem areas, and the kinds ofservices they perceive to be important andhelpful. Need evaluations occur during theprogram planning stages and provide datato shape program structure and services.They may also suggest that a program isunnecessary because the proposed servicescan be found elsewhere; because a targetpopulation cannot be identified clearly; orbecause the identified population does notexpress a strong desire for services orassistance. A need evaluation of a victimservices program would attempt to answerthese questions:

• What types of victim services arecurrently offered through localcriminal justice agencies?

• Will the prospective services supple-ment, replace, overlap, or complementexisting victim services?

• Based on a survey (written,telephone, or in-person), what arethe most pressing needs of localcrime victims as expressed by thevictims themselves, and by proba-tion, parole, and corrections staff?

• What are the present procedures forcollecting victim restitution (or

notifying victims, seeking impactstatements, providing protection fromintimidation, etc.)? How would thefuture program coincide with currentoperations?

• Are victims’ reported needs seriousand broad enough to warrant aspecial victim service program?

• Are there alternative mechanisms inthe department to meet victims’needs other than the proposedprogram?

• Approximately how many potentialclients can be served by theproposed program?

• Given the program’s initial conceptu-alization, what victims should betargeted for services? Which of thesevictims would be easiest to accessand most likely to be helped by theprogram? Why?

Process Evaluation

An assessment of process is designed toanswer questions about program implemen-tation. Once a program has been adminis-tered, evaluators can document the extentto which the program was implemented asdesigned and is serving the target popula-tion. Process evaluation is an examinationof the effort invested in a program and doesnot seek to establish program effectiveness.Rather, it provides a systematic explorationof whether a program is being administeredin conformity with its original conceptualiza-tion (Rossi & Freeman, 1982). A processevaluation of a victim services programwould attempt to answer these questions:

• How many victims are beingassessed and contacted by programstaff (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)?

• How many times, on average, is eachvictim contacted? What is the natureof these contacts (i.e., mail, phone,

in-person, at home, or within theagency)?

• How closely do written procedurescorrespond to the actual delivery ofservices? What are the specificdisparities between plans andpractice, and how seriously do theyaffect operations?

• How does the victim servicesprogram interface with other depart-ment programs? Are program policiesand procedures consistent with thoseof the host agency?

• How often do other department staffinteract with program personnel?What is the purpose of those interac-tions (i.e., referral, advice, orcomplaint)?

• Are program services being deliveredwithin a reasonable period of time?Are there ways to expedite servicedelivery?

Outcome Evaluation

An assessment of outcome traditionally hasbeen the major focus for program evalua-tors and is designed to answer questionsabout program effects. Outcome evalua-tions are conducted after the program hasbeen running long enough to register animpact on its clients. An outcome evalua-tion gauges the degree to which a programhas influenced changes in the desireddirections. To conduct an outcome evalua-tion, a researcher must show persuasivelythat impact was a function of programinterventions and cannot be accounted forin other ways (Rossi & Freeman, 1982). Anoutcome evaluation of a victim servicesprogram would attempt to answer thesequestions about program success:

• How satisfied are victims with thefollowing program services?

■ Types and range of servicesoffered.

■ Correspondence between theirparticular needs and programservices.

■ Number and nature of contactsthey have had with programcaseworkers.

■ Their caseworker’s responsive-ness and sensitivity to theirproblems and needs.

■ Outcome of their case.

■ Amount of restitution andcompensation they havereceived.

■ Timeliness of their case notifications.

■ Information they were givenabout victim services and crimeprevention.

■ Services they received throughreferrals.

■ Comfort and safety of theprogram office environment.

• Are crime victims served through theprogram better off physically,emotionally, and economically whencompared to nonparticipating crimevictims?

• Do program services correspond withmandated victims’ rights?

• How do other department staff andallied justice professionals rate theperformance of the program withrespect to professionalism, staffing,dedication, and service?

Expenditure Evaluation

An assessment of expenditures is designedto answer questions about programeconomics. Specifically, expenditure

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evaluations address the cost-effectivenessof programs (i.e., do the benefits of theprogram justify the investment needed toprovide the services?) and the costefficiency of programs (i.e., is the programthe most economical way to provideservices or can other programs provide thesame services at a lower cost?). A compre-hensive evaluation of expendituresrequires estimates of the tangible andintangible benefits of the program(s), aswell as the direct and indirect costs ofundertaking the program(s). Cost analysistechniques have been well developed inbusiness and industry and can be adaptedto study human service programs. Anevaluation of expenditures for a victimservices program would attempt to answerthese questions:

• What is the per capita cost of handlinga case through the program? Howdoes this cost compare with the costsreported by other programs in proba-tion, parole, and corrections?

• What are the total overhead(including such costs as office space, telephones, copy/fax machine use,and e-mail) and personnel costs ofthe program (salaries and benefits)?

• Is the program exceeding its originalbudgetary allocation? Why are therecost overruns? Can any services becut back or eliminated to save expen-ditures? Will these reductionsjeopardize program operations?

Client Needs Assessments

This section is taken from the “Program/ServiceOutcome Evaluation” chapter of the trainingand resource manual Focus on the Future: ASystems Approach to Prosecution andVictim Assistance published by the NationalCenter for Victims of Crime with support fromthe U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victimsof Crime in 1994. It was written by PromisingPractices and Strategies Project DirectorTrudy Gregorie.

One of the most valuable tools for a victimservices program is regular assessment ofits clients concerning the effectiveness,sufficiency, and quality of its services, andthe effectiveness and professionalism of itsstaff. All programs receive some informalfeedback from their clients, in the form ofletters, commendations, complaints, ortelephone calls, etc. But most programssurvey their clients more systematically atone time or another in order to find out howthey feel about the program’s services, andto receive input on improving programservices. Victim assessments can beconducted through written surveys that aregiven to clients as they exit the program or

are mailed to them after the conclusion oftheir case. One disadvantage of mail surveysis that many people do not respond, and itis difficult to be sure whether those who dorespond are truly representative. Assessmentscan also be conducted by telephone or inperson. These evaluations can be eitherrandom or routine.

Victim assessment surveys can help programpersonnel examine their current policies,protocols and procedures to ensure that theprogram and service providers exemplifythe needed sensitivity and effectivenesswhen dealing with crime victims. The usefuldata collected should indicate neededchanges, enhancements, or revisions toimprove the program’s delivery of servicesand enforcement of victims’ rights.

Two examples of victim assessment surveysthat can be easily modified for correctionalagencies—developed by the DelawareCounty Juvenile Court Victim Services Unit(Pennsylvania) and the Marion CountyDistrict Attorney’s Victim Assistance Program(Oregon)”—are included in Appendix L.

Technology to Enhance Corrections-BasedVictim Services

This section is adapted from the 1996National Victim Assistance Academycurriculum sponsored by the VictimAssistance Legal Organization with supportfrom the U.S. Department of Justice, Officefor Victims of Crime. It was written byPromising Practices and StrategiesProject Manager Anne Seymour.

Information is power. With the explosionof the information age and the expansionof the “information superhighway,” victims,service providers and criminal justiceprofessionals have myriad opportunities toaugment their individual and collectivepower by accessing and sharing informa-tion electronically. Information comprisesthe very foundation upon which manyvictims’ rights and services are based,including the following:

• Victims’ rights mandated by statuteand case law.

• Victim services available locally, atthe State level, or nationally.

• Case status.

• Offender status.

• Research that documents trends incrime and victimization.

• Personal support and resources avail-able to help victims reconstruct theirlives following a crime. In 1997,virtually all of this type of informa-tion is available on-line to anybodywho has a personal computer,telephone line, and modem.

The growth in technological applications tomanage the expansion and development ofvictim service organizations, to enhance casemanagement and tracking information forboth victims and offenders, and to simplifyand expand communications through the

worldwide “information superhighway,”holds great promise for the discipline ofcorrections-based victim services. Knowledgeabout and use of existing and emergingtechnologies can save greatly needed time,money and human resources for victimadvocates as well as crime victims.

The primary purpose of the victim servicediscipline is to help crime victims obtainthree basic objectives: rights, recovery, andrespect. Yet victims are often barred fromsecuring these objectives by ignorance,mis-impressions, and lack of information.In a very real sense, information is the key that allows access to victims’ rights,recovery and respect. Unless victims aremade aware of their rights as well as howand when to exercise them, such rightshave no meaning or usefulness. Simply put, information is the means to victim serviceproviders’ ends. Indeed, it is the stock andtrade of the victim service discipline and thedriving force behind most services forvictims of crime. How victim advocates areable to gather, synthesize, analyze, expand,distribute, and dispense this preciouscommodity has a direct impact on thesuccess of the victims’ rights movement.

Barriers to the Use ofTechnology to Benefit Victims

There are five common barriers to theimplementation of technologies that couldbenefit victims of crime:

1. “Technophobia.”

2. Cost.

3. Security of victim information.

4. The need for change management.

5. Government and judicial policiesrelevant to technology.

Technology to Enhance Corrections-Based Victim Services

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“Technophobia”

“Technophobia” is the fear of utilizingnew technologies. Victim services and,indeed, the entire criminal justice systemhave traditionally operated on a paperbasis. The volumes of informationrelevant to crime victims, in both criminalcases and in the provision of qualityservices, can generally be found in paperformat and files. While some agencies areequipped with personal computers, areable to communicate via facsimilemachines, and have access to the “infor-mation superhighway” through theInternet, many others utilize no tech-nology applications in their day-to-dayactivities.

Undoubtedly, the victims’ rights disciplineand, to some degree, the field of criminaljustice have been slow to harness thepowers of technology. Very real fears existabout technology applications: Willcomputer files be lost? What if theelectricity shuts off and our systems godown? Can we protect the confidentialityof victim information? How can webecome “computer literate”?

However, all these and other fears can beovercome with careful planning, training,technical assistance, and implementationof technology applications that benefitvictims. While initial efforts to becometechnologically savvy are challenging, andat times difficult, service providers mustview “the big picture” in terms of the time,money, and human resources that can besaved through advances in technology,keeping in mind that the ultimate benefici-aries are victims of crime.

Cost

For many agencies, the cost of technologyappears to be prohibitive to implementation.However, the cost of not harnessing theeffective powers of technology will soonoutweigh the initial investment.

Both corporate America and thetechnology industry are reaching out tosocial service organizations to augmenttheir use of technology as well as theirexpertise relevant to computerization andmanagement information systems. Forexample, clearinghouses exist that provideused computers to nonprofit organizationsfor free. More and more victim serviceagencies are securing the volunteer supportof technology professionals on their Boardsof Directors or in advisory capacities to initiate and enhance the use of computers.As the competition among technology firmsgrows more fierce, victim service providersbenefit from the marketing of softwarepackages that are inexpensive and adapt-able to most personal computer systems.Furthermore, public policy developmentsare beginning to support the implementa-tion of technologies that improve the provi-sion of victim services (such as theViolence Against Women Act passed byCongress in 1994 that authorizes the use oftechnologies that benefit victims as afundable outcome).

Security of Victim Information

Victim confidentiality is a priority forcorrectional agencies, crime victims, andservice providers. Much victim informationrelated to corrections is confidential by lawor by agency policy. However, technologytoday easily accommodates the security ofany information that is deemed confidentialby the courts, including victim information.

Access to computer screens with confiden-tial information can be limited only toauthorized users with passwords whensoftware packages are developed. The useof encryption or “scrambling” ofdocuments that are electronically trans-ferred further prevents unauthorizedaccess. In developing technologies thatbenefit victims, careful consideration andplanning relevant to the security ofspecific information must be a priority.This can be accomplished by partnerships

among criminal justice and victim serviceprofessionals as well as technology expertswho develop software packages andoffender management information systems.

The Need for Change Management

Change management is the means bywhich organizations successfully integratetechnology with operations and people.While possessing the most advancedtechnology to benefit victims is important,it is not enough to ensure success. Thebest system can fail if it is not accepted bythe people whose job it is to use it.

There are four key components to changemanagement:

1. Leadership: Setting and articulating acompelling vision, mission, and agendafor change, then making this commit-ment visible, constant, and contagious.

2. Ownership: Creating an environmentfor the attitude, motivation, andcommitment of individuals and groupswithin and allied to our nation’s victimservice discipline, resulting in “buy-in”and ownership of change from earlyinvolvement through the total changeprocess.

3. Enablement: Providing professionalswith the knowledge, skills, processes,technologies, structures, tools, andadvice to perform new roles in achanging workplace and discipline.

4. Navigation: Creating the environmentto manage, integrate, and coordinatemultiple change initiatives.

(The preceding section is an excerpt fromAndersen Consulting, Change Managementworkshop, International Integrated JusticeSymposium, June 1995, New Brunswick, Canada.)

For corrections-based victim servicesprograms, change management means thatthey must do the following:

• Understand the benefits to victimsthat technology has to offer.

• Be actively involved in planningactivities that relate to applyingtechnology to victim services,criminal justice, and corrections.

• Be flexible in their willingness toadapt to new ways of doing age-oldtasks.

Government and Judicial PoliciesRelevant to Technology

Often State legislatures and/or judicial author-ities must pass new laws and regulations thatguide the implementation of technology. Theacceptance of electronic data, imaging, andsignatures has been accompanied by legalmandates that authorize their acceptance asofficial documents within the criminal justicesystem. The National Center for State Courtsin Williamsburg, Virginia has shown greatleadership in seeking changes in rules andlaws that allow for technological advancesthat streamline justice and benefit crimevictims.

Offender ManagementInformation Systems

In the United States today, there is animportant and welcome move towardincorporating vital victim information intooffender management information systems.Instead of having multiple databases thatrelate to an offender’s case, and hence thevictim’s case, many jurisdictions arecentralizing databases that include victiminformation with substantial securityprotections to ensure confidentiality.

One example is the statewide automatedjuvenile justice tracking system utilized inOklahoma. A variety of data about juvenileoffenders is included in the system such asdemographic, social, and family informa-tion; case status and disposition; gang affiliations; juvenile profiles; and supervi-sion and placement tracking. Two otherkey elements are victim notification andvictim restitution. Juvenile justice and alliedprofessionals who are authorized to access


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this information (from anywhere in theState utilizing a personal computer thattaps into the centralized database reposi-tory) can quickly surmise if the victim hasbeen notified of the juvenile offender’sstatus or release, and if restitution hasbeen ordered, collected, and/or paid.

The incorporation of these and other vitaldata, such as victim impact informationand protective orders, into centralizedoffender management information systems,with appropriate security precautions builtin to ensure victim confidentiality, shouldbe a goal of corrections-based victimservices programs.

Case Tracking Technology

An important and recent phenomenonutilizes the power of current technology totrack offenders and their victims throughoutthe criminal justice process. Case trackingserves five important purposes:

1. Maintains up-to-date information on anoffender’s status and release.

2. Provides substantial information aboutaccess to victim services and whetheror not victims’ rights as mandated bylaw are being upheld.

3. Holds the criminal justice system account-able by providing useful and timelydata on case dispositions, includingarrests, plea bargains, judicial sentencesand time served on actual sentences.

4. Provides valuable data about victimand offender typologies.

5. Provides law enforcement, criminaljustice, corrections and victim serviceproviders with historical data related tovictims and offenders that can guidetheir approach to intervention.

The more America knows about criminalactivity, the better our nation can beequipped to prevent and combat crime.Equally as important, the more Americaknows about victims—who they are, whattypes of services they need and are able toaccess, and whether or not their rights areimplemented—the better our nation can beequipped to serve and assist victims.

The Automation of Victims’Rights and Services

Technological developments have beenparticularly beneficial to victims andservice providers in two areas: victimnotification and victim restitution.

Victim Notification

More than half of America’s correctionalagencies have automated victim notifica-tion processes, as depicted in thefollowing data derived from the 1996National Victim Services Survey of Adultand Juvenile Corrections and ParolingAuthorities (conducted by the NationalCenter for Victims of Crime as part of thePromising Practices and Strategies forVictim Services in Corrections project):

Computerized system 46% 24% 41%

File flags 11% 53% 19%

Both 25% 10% 28%

Other 4% 10% 6%

Not sure/Don’t know 4% 5% 13%

VICTIM NOTIFICATION REQUESTS IDENTIFIED/TRACKED BY: ADULT JUVENILE PAROLE

Figure 1

Automating Victim Restitution

The frustration many victims face inreceiving restitution that has been orderedby a court or paroling authority can besignificantly decreased by automated resti-tution management software programsutilized by a number of courts, correc-tional agencies, and paroling authorities.At minimum, a centralized softwaresystem tracks restitution orders andcompliance with such orders and providesvictims with disbursement checks, as wellas information about delinquent accounts.

One innovative restitution managementprogram features the following functionalspecifications:

• Links multiple defendants, victims,cases, and responsible officials in asingle case folder.

• Provides complete financial ledgers.

• Provides for pro rata distribution ofpartial payments.

• Provides 1,000 different levels ofdistribution priority.

• Provides for joint and several, aswell as partitioned, liability.

• Accommodates the assignment ofrestitution to third parties (such asinsurance companies).

• Calculates “ability to pay”worksheets.

• Determines payment schedules.

• Prints receipts for money collected,either individually or in batch mode.

• Provides delinquency tracking.

• Employs three levels of security.

• Prints disbursement checks.

• Tracks unclaimed funds.

Computerized approaches to the imple-mentation of this significant victims’ rightsave time, money, and human resourcesand ensure that victims are notified of anoffender’s release or impending parolehearing in a timely manner that is inaccordance with law.

The process of automated victim notifica-tion generally includes the following:

• Victims who request to be notified ofan offender’s release (either througha prosecutor, victim service provider,Department of Corrections, orparoling authority) have their name,address, and telephone numberentered into a centralized database.

• The victim contact information is ona security screen, which means thatonly authorized personnel (such asthe victim service program manageror case records personnel at institu-tions) have access to it.

• Computerized notification lettersdesigned to provide details on theoffender’s status, including release,upcoming release hearing, or death,are keyed into the system, andmatched to the relevant victim infor-mation file.

• At the appropriate juncturemandated by law (such as 60 daysprior to release), the letter isautomatically printed out by thecomputer and disseminated by thevictim services program (in central-ized systems) or case recordspersonnel (in decentralized systems).

The likelihood of victims “falling throughthe cracks” of notification processes is significantly decreased with the use ofautomated systems.


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In recent years, there has been an evolu-tion of networking among victim serviceproviders and correctional personnel.Correctional agencies realize that if theyare going to provide either mandated orvoluntary services to victims of crime, theyneed the input and assistance of expertsin the field: crime victims and victimservice providers.

Unfortunately, most community-basedvictim service programs are insufficientlyfunded. Generally, they are not-for-profitagencies that have been founded andoperated by people who have beenpersonally touched by crime. Victimservices programs operate on minusculebudgets with limited personnel who worklong hours for low pay, or work as volun-teers. A growing number of these agenciesare interested in helping correctionalagencies meet the needs of victims. Thereare many dedicated victim serviceproviders and victims who will givetirelessly to help correctional agencies

develop and operate victim servicesprograms. However, when it comes toweighing where they utilize their limitedpersonnel resources, they also need toexamine where their financial support is coming from. Often, this places corrections-based victim service programsat the bottom of their lengthy priority list.

Some correctional agencies are able toreimburse victims and service providersfor their mileage expenses to attendmeetings or provide educational servicessuch as the “Impact of Crime on Victims”programs or Victim Impact Panels foroffenders. Others provide a small stipendin addition to, or in place of, mileagereimbursements.

Increasingly, correctional agencies havefound unique ways to raise funds forvictim services programs in the communi-ties where their institutions, offices, orwork sites are located.

Fundraising for Victim Services

• Provides a comprehensive set ofreports including collection reports,case histories, ledgers, impact state-ments, delinquency reports, andpayment reports.

The application of this technology simplifiesthe complex and frustrating process of restitu-tion collection for the criminal justice system,victims, service providers, and offenders, andhelps ensure that offenders are held finan-cially accountable to their victims.

U.S. Department of JusticeElectronic Information Resources

There are a variety of resources availableelectronically from the U.S. Department of

Justice, Office for Victims of Crime ResourceCenter and National Criminal JusticeReference Service. An array of on-lineservices that can be helpful to corrections-based victim services programs includes aWorld Wide Web page; anonymous filetransfer protocol (FTP) site; JusticeInformation (JUSTINFO) electronicnewsletter; and an e-mail information andhelp line.

A complete compendium of these services,compiled for the 1996 National VictimAssistance Academy text, is included inAppendix M.

Fundraising Policies

It is important to have clearly delineatedpolicies and procedures for fundraisingactivities that involve inmates, offendersunder community supervision, and/orstaff. All donations must be strictly volun-tary. A copy of the California Departmentof Corrections policy on charitablefundraising campaigns is included inAppendix N.

Fundraising Activities Sponsoredby Offenders

Offenders under the supervision of theCalifornia Department of Corrections areencouraged to participate in fundraisersfor victim services programs and to makemonetary donations of their own. Often,fundraising events are held in conjunctionwith National Crime Victims’ Rights Weekduring April of each year. Offenders whochoose to organize and participate in theseactivities do so to show their appreciationof victims and service providers whovoluntarily participate in inmate educationprograms. Some offenders also view theircontributions as a way to help makeamends for their own crimes. Correctionalstaff are also encouraged to help plan forand participate in fundraising activities.

In fiscal year 1995, the California Departmentof Corrections raised hundreds ofthousands of dollars in donations thatwere provided to local victim servicesprograms, many of which were located inthe same communities as the worksites/institutions that raised the money.

In addition to special events and monetarycontributions, offenders can offer many in-kind contributions to victim service organi-zations and crime victims.

• In South Carolina, parolees buildbaby furniture for local domesticviolence and homeless shelters.

• In Texas, female inmates make ragdolls that are distributed to needyand abused children.

• In some States, part of the profits ofsales of inmate artwork are given tovictim services programs.

• The Association of ParolingAuthorities, International provided acheck to Ellen Levin, Director ofJustice for All, which was derivedfrom proceeds from its annualconference.

There are many creative ways that correc-tional professionals and the offenders theysupervise can support victim services suchas the following:

• Organizing or participating in walk-a-thons or fun runs.

• Selling buttons, mugs, t-shirts, andother items.

• Food sales (including baked goodsand candy).

• Raffles.

• Clothing, toy, and food drives.

• Banquets.

• Portraits/photos (paid for by inmateswho like to have pictures to sendhome to their loved ones).

• Craft sales and art auctions.

• Sporting competitions.

• Recycling of aluminum cans.

• Benefit concerts.

In addition, correctional agencies oftensupport the charitable and public aware-ness activities of State and local victimservices programs. Many of these activitiesare held in conjunction with annualcommemorative weeks such as NationalDomestic Violence Awareness Month andNational Drunk and Drugged Driving


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Awareness Week. Correctional personnelshould seek opportunities to serve onplanning activities for these special eventsand encourage their professional peers toget involved through either in-kind ordirect monetary donations. A calendar ofvictim-related annual commemorations isincluded in Appendix O.

The Angola “Break-in Run and Walk,” anannual event sponsored by the LouisianaDepartment of Public Safety and Corrections,

has corporate sponsorship from a localcasino. Proceeds went to the State’s CrimeVictims Reparation Fund and theDepartment’s inmate scholarship fund.

Fundraising for victims’ programs not onlyimproves the scope and quality of services forvictims, it also helps cement the bondbetween professionals in the disciplines ofcorrections and victim services—a bond thatprovides the foundation for increased mutualunderstanding, respect, and cooperation.

As the justice community continually seeksnew, innovative approaches to fulfill itsmission and goals, the concept of restora-tive justice has emerged as an approachthat incorporates crime prevention,violence reduction, offender accountability,victim assistance, and public safety.

In the restorative model, offenders, crimevictims, and the community are all consid-ered clients of justice processes, includingcorrections. As such, the involvement andinterests of these three client populationsbecome core to the planning, develop-ment, implementation, and evaluation ofjustice-related programs and services.

At a national teleconference on restorativejustice sponsored by the National Instituteof Corrections (NIC) in December 1996, apanel of experts identified seven corevalues of restorative justice:

1. Crime is an offense against humanrelationships.

2. Victims and the community are centralto the justice process.

3. The first priority of justice processes isto assist victims.

4. The second priority of justiceprocesses is to restore the communityto some degree if possible.

5. The offender has personal responsi-bility to victims and to the communityfor crimes committed.

6. The offender will develop improvedcompetency and understanding as aresult of the restorative justice experience.

7. Stakeholders share responsibilities forrestorative justice through partnershipsfor action.

As described by Dr. Gordon Bazemore,Director of the Balanced and RestorativeJustice Project at Florida Atlantic Universityin Fort Lauderdale, the conceptual frame-work of this approach to justice can bestbe described as a combined emphasis onthree programming priorities (NOTE:Bazemore’s model was developed specifi-cally for juvenile offenders):

“Accountability: Restitution, commu-nity service, and victim/offendermediation create an awareness inoffenders of the harmful consequencesof their actions for victims; requireoffenders to take action to makeamends to victims and the community;and, whenever possible, involvevictims directly in the justice process.

“Community protection: Intermediate,community-based surveillance andsanctioning systems channel the

Restorative Justice

offender’s time and energy into pro-ductive activities.… A continuum ofsurveillance and sanctions provides a progression of consequences fornoncompliance with supervisionrequirements and incentives thatreinforce the offender’s progress inmeeting competency development and accountability objectives.

“Competency development: Workexperience, active learning, and serviceopportunities provide opportunities foroffenders to develop skills, interactpositively with conventional adults,earn money, and demonstrate publicly

that they are capable of productive,competent behavior.”

The shift from what some call “retributivejustice” to restorative justice has manyimplications for victims of crime. Key tothese changes is active involvement in thejustice process as well as a defined role inachieving offender accountability. This shiftis depicted in the chart below and on thefollowing page (which includes definitionsof “retributive” and “restorative” justicedeveloped by noted author Howard Zehr,and “implications for victims” developed bypublic safety consultant Anne Seymour).

IMPLICATIONS FOR VICTIMS

The community—includingvictims and their allies—participates in and directlybenefits from deterrence.

Offenders are held directlyaccountable to victims.

Prevention, intervention, andbreaking the cycle of violenceare important considerations.

The individualization of thevictim and breaking the cycleof violence are importantconsiderations.

The victim is individualizedas central to the crime andthe criminal justice systemprocess, with the communityduly noted as also beingaffected by crimes.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Crime control lies primarily inthe community.

Accountability defined asassuming responsibility andtaking action to repair harm.

Crime has both individualand social dimensions ofresponsibility.

Crime is an act against another person of the community.

Punishment alone is noteffective in changingbehavior and is disruptive to community harmony andgood relationships.

RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

The criminal justice systemcontrols crime.

Offender accountabilitydefined as taking punishment.

Crime is an individual actwith individual responsibility.

Crime is an act against theState, a violation of the law,an abstract idea.

Punishment is effective:a. Threat of punishment

deters crime.b. Punishment changes

behavior.

Figure 2

Restorative Justice

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Restorative Justice

46

Figure 2 (continued)

RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Victims are peripheral to theprocess.

The offender is defined bydeficits.

Focus on establishing blame,on guilt, on past (did he/shedo it?).

Emphasis on adversarial relationships.

Imposition of pain to punishand deter/prevent.

Community is on the sideline,represented abstractly by theState.

Response is focused on theoffender’s past behavior.

Dependence on proxy professionals.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Victims are central to theprocess of solving a crime.

The offender is defined byhis or her capacity to makereparation.

Focus is on problem solving,on liabilities/obligations, andon the future (what shouldbe done?).

Emphasis is on dialogue andnegotiation.

Restitution is a means ofrestoring both parties; goal ofconciliation/restoration.

Community as facilitator inrestorative process.

Response focused on harmfulconsequences of theoffender’s behavior; emphasison the future.

Direct involvement by participants.

IMPLICATIONS FOR VICTIMS

Restorative justice principlesare “victim-centered.”

Reparations to the victim andto the community are a priority.

A central goal is to deter futurecriminal action through conflictresolutions, problem solving,and fulfilling obligations to thevictim and to the community.

Victims are active participantsin determining appropriatereparations.

Restitution holds the offenderaccountable and is meaningfulto both him/her and the victim.

Just as the community is negatively affected by crime,it is positively affected byrestorative justice process.

Crime deterrence in the futurefocuses on victim and publicsafety.

Victims and their allies aredirectly involved in thecriminal and juvenile justiceand restorative justiceprocesses.

In the United States, the concept of victim/offender programs is relatively new,spanning just two decades of developmentand growth. While these programs sharemany goals, there is usually one importantunderlying principle: to provide forums thatpromote greater understanding of theimpact that crime has on victims and theirfamilies, offenders’ families, neighborhoods,and communities and to promote offenderaccountability and a positive learningexperience for all involved participants.

Why would victims who have been harmedby criminal or delinquent activities want tobe face-to-face again with the person whohurt them? For many victims, burningquestions in the aftermath of a crime needto be answered:

• Why did you choose to victimize meinstead of somebody else?

• Does my offender realize the emotional,physical, and financial losses I haveendured as a result of his/her action?

• Does my offender feel any remorse?

• Can my offender, through words oractions, be directly accountable to meso I can reconstruct my life in theaftermath of a crime?

For juvenile delinquents and criminaloffenders, victim/offender programs canoffer substantial value by developing thefollowing:

• An understanding of the impactoffenders’ crimes have on their victimsand communities.

• Incentives for personal accountabilityin the forms of apologies, financialrestitution, and community service.

• Educational opportunities that canprovide positive alternatives tocriminal and delinquent activities.

Crime and delinquency affect not only thedirect and indirect victim. The “dominoeffect” of any crime, regardless of itsseverity, increases communities’ fears andfeelings of vulnerability. Therefore, commu-nities as a whole also stand to benefit fromthe implementation of victim/offenderprograms:

• In many victim/offender programs, theactive involvement of communityrepresentatives sends a strong messagethat crime will not be tolerated andthat investment in individual andpublic safety is a community priority.

• Victim/offender programs oftenprovide cost-effective alternatives tomore retributive forms of justice.

• When victims are provided withpositive tools to reconstruct their lives,they are able to function better ascontributing members of a commu-nity—a universal benefit that cannotbe overlooked.

The Implementation ofVictim/Offender Programs

Victim/offender programs and services arenot for everybody. Such programs shouldnot operate in a vacuum but rather be anintegral component of system- andcommunity-based services for both victimsand offenders.

Eleven recommended guidelines for theimplementation of victim/offenderprograms include the following:

1. A clearly stated mission statement thatsupports goals and objectives, guidesprogram development, focuses onoutcomes and possible benefitsrelevant to victims, offenders, and thecommunity.

Victim/Offender Programs


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2. Leadership from a “change champion”—either an individual or entity whocan provide vision and guidance inprogram implementation.

3. Consistent involvement in programplanning and implementation fromvictims and victim service providers.

4. Structure that clarifies the role of theprogram within the criminal or juvenilejustice system as well its role related tocommunity-based activities.

5. Comprehensive knowledge of researchand theory related to victimization, crime,juvenile justice, and offenders to providea basis for program development.

6. Intensive training and cross-training toestablish and clarify program expecta-tions and increase knowledge ofprofessionals and volunteers involvedwith program planning, development,and evaluation.

7. Written policies, procedures, andprotocols to guide planning andimplementation.

8. Measures to ensure that victim partici-pation is strictly voluntary, with noperceptions of coercion.

9. Policies and plans that addressprogram evaluation.

10. Understanding of existing victim/offender programs to facilitate knowl-edge exchange so as to avoid repeatingwhat has already been done.

11. Written documentation of key programactivities (planning, implementation,and evaluation) to facilitate knowledgeexpansion by exchanging informationamong victim/offender program practi-tioners and allied professionals.

Examples of Victim/OffenderPrograms

A number of victim/offender programs arebeing successfully implemented in bothinstitutional and community correctionssettings:

1. Community reparation boards,consisting of community membersappointed by the Department ofCorrections, provide a sentencingoption for non-violent offenders tomake reparation to victims and thecommunity. Reparative activitiesinclude restitution, community workservice, mediation/dialogue, cognitiveskills development sessions, victimempathy programs, and decision-making programs.

2. Community/neighborhood impactstatements provide an opportunity forcitizens whose lives are detrimentallyaffected by crime such as drug- andgang-related illegal activities to informthe court about how such crimes affecttheir quality of life.

3. Family group conferencing involvesthe youthful offender and his/herfamily; the victim and his/her family ordesignated representative; and a repre-sentative of the juvenile justice system.The outcome of family group confer-encing is the formulation of a plan thatholds offenders accountable, providesvictims with input and restitution, andhelps offenders learn new skills thatwill help them to avoid futurereoffending.

4. Victim/offender dialogue (also called“mediation”) is a structured, voluntarymeeting between a victim andoffender with a trained facilitator todiscuss the impact of the crime, and

Conclusion

This compendium was developed toprovide a comprehensive overview ofcorrections-based victim services. A moreindepth examination of the topicscontained in this compendium, along witha wide range of resources for promisingpractices, is provided in the PromisingPractices and Strategies for Victim Servicesin Corrections notebook.

Four additional manuals are recommendedas resources for professionals who seek toinitiate or enhance corrections-basedvictim services:

1. Promising Practices and Strategies forVictim Services in Probation and

Parole published by the AmericanProbation and Parole Association(APPA).

2. National Victim Assistance AcademyCurriculum Notebook published by theVictim Assistance Legal Organization(VALOR).

3. Focus on the Future: A SystemsApproach to Prosecution and VictimAssistance published by the NationalCenter for Victims of Crime.

4. Helping Victims and Witnesses in theJuvenile Justice System: A ProgramHandbook published by the U.S.

develop an agreement that attempts tohold the offender accountable and tomake amends to the victim, as well as provide the offender with educationalopportunities.

5. Restitution to crime victims providesmonetary compensation for losses theyendured as a result of crime. Restitutioncan also be made to crime victimcompensation programs or victimservice agencies.

6. Restorative community service performedby offenders can improve the quality oflife for both the community and victims.Examples include work crews that cleangraffiti, direct service to the victim ifhe/she chooses, and improving safetymeasures (such as locks) for elderlycitizens’ homes.

7. Community work service programsprovide opportunities for offenders towork, develop new skills, and be paidso they can, in turn, fulfill their restitu-tion obligations.

8. Victim awareness education programs/panels provide an educational

opportunity for offenders to learnabout how their delinquent andcriminal activities detrimentally affecttheir victims, their communities, theirown families, and themselves. Suchprograms range from 2-hour panels toa structured 40-hour educationalprogram.

9. Victim impact statements allow thevictim to tell the court about thepsychological, physical and financialimpact a crime had on them. Victimimpact statements can be delivered inwriting, in person, or by audio/video-tape, and in measures that are commen-surate with the victim’s age, cognitivedevelopment, ability, and culture.

10. Victim notification of the offender’sstatus keeps the victim apprised of thecase status, from arrest throughsentence, community corrections, ordetention placement.

Additional information and resourcesrelevant to this topic can be found in the“Victim/Offender Programs” section of thePromising Practices and Strategies forVictim Services in Corrections notebook.

Conclusion

49


Conclusion

50

Department of Justice, Office ofJuvenile Justice and DelinquencyPrevention.

In addition, a variety of projects sponsoredby OVC, NIC, the Corrections Office, andASCA are currently in development andaddress topics including the following:

• Responding to workplace violence incorrectional settings (training-for-trainers series).

• Restorative justice.

• Victims of juvenile offenders.

• Promising practices and strategies intechnology to benefit victims.

• Victims of gang violence.

Information about these and othervaluable resources is available from theU.S. Department of Justice, Office forVictims of Crime Resource Center bycalling (800) 627-6872.

Appendix A

Position Statement on Crime Victims’ Issues(Texas Corrections Association)

53

Appendix A


Position Statement on Crime Victims’ Issues

Appendix B

Strategic Planning Form(U.S. Bureau of Prisons)

57

Appendix B

58 VICTIM SERVICES IN CORRECTIONS

Strategic Planning Form

Appendix C

Victim Services Program Policies and Procedures

(California Department of Corrections)

61

Appendix C



63

Appendix C

65

Appendix C



67

Appendix C



69

Appendix C



71

Appendix C



73

Appendix C



75

Appendix C

77

Appendix C



79

Appendix C



81

Appendix C



83

Appendix C



85

Appendix C



J

J

87

Appendix C

Appendix D

Victim Services Advisory Committee Policy Statement

(Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)

Executive Order for Council on Victims Justice(Ohio Department of

Rehabilitation and Correction)

91

Appendix D



93

Appendix D



95

Appendix D


Executive Order for Council on Victims Justice

Appendix E

State Director’s Announcement of New VOCA-Funded Victim Services Unit(Illinois Department of Corrections)

99

Appendix E

Appendix F

Duty Statement for Victim Services Representatives

(California Department of Corrections)

Job Description for Supervision Clerk (Courts),Community Supervision and

Corrections Department(Tarrant County, Texas)

103

Appendix F

105

Appendix F

106

Job Description for Supervision Clerk

107

Appendix F

Appendix G

Telephone Rolodex Card(Ohio Department of

Rehabilitation and Correction)

111

Appendix G

Appendix H

National Toll-Free Information and Referral Telephone Numbers on Victims‘ Rights,

Services, and Criminal Justice Resources(Victims’ Assistance Legal Organization)

115

Appendix H

Appendix I

Sample Victim Impact Statements(National Center for Victims of Crime)

119

Appendix I


Sample Victim Impact Statements

121

Appendix I


Sample Victim Impact Statements

Appendix J

Sample Financial Worksheet for Victims’ Losses

(National Center for Victims of Crime)

125

Appendix J


Sample Financial Worksheet for Victims’ Losses

Appendix K

Proposed Federal Constitutional Amendment for Victims’ Rights

(Senate Joint Resolution 6)

129

Appendix K


Proposed Federal Constitutional Amendment for Victims’ Rights

Appendix L

Two Examples of Victim Assessment Surveys

(Delaware County Juvenile Court Victim Services Unit, Pennsylvania)

(Marion County District Attorney’s VictimAssistance Program, Oregon)

133

Appendix L


Examples of Victim Assessment Surveys

135

Appendix L

137

Appendix L



139

Appendix L



Appendix M

Compendium of Helpful Online Services

143

Appendix M



145

Appendix M



147

Appendix M



149

Appendix M

Appendix N

Policy on Charitable Fundraising Campaigns(California Department of Corrections)

153

Appendix N

Appendix O

Calendar of Victim-Related AnnualCommemorations

(National Center for Victims of Crime)

157

Appendix O

Calendar of Victim-Related Annual Commemorations

158

Promising Practices and Strategies for Victim Services in Corrections

For copies of this guide and/or additional information, please contact:

Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center (OVCRC)P.O. Box 6000

Rockville, MD 20849–6000Telephone: 1–800–627–6872 or 301–519–5500

E-mail orders for print publications to [email protected] questions to [email protected]

Send your feedback on this service to [email protected]

Refer to publication number: NCJ 166605

Documents

Promising Practices and Strategies for Victim Services in Corrections · 2007. 3. 13. · (California Department of Corrections) ... related to the creation of policies, procedures,