Helping Crime Victims - Levels of Trauma and Effectiveness of Services - Executive Summary

• NCJ Number: 100868
• Author(s): R F Cook; B E Smith; A V Harrell
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 27 pages
• Grant Number(s): 82-IJ-CX-K036
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

This 1983 study evaluated the effectiveness of services for crime victims in Tucson, Ariz., as well as the social and psychological effects of victimization.

Abstract

A quasi-experimental design compared victims who received crisis intervention services (109), delayed services (114), and no services (100) through interviews 1 month after the crime and 4 to 6 months later. Service effectiveness was measured by the extent to which it alleviated victim problems and helped police and prosecutors perform their duties. Interviews also measured psychological, social, financial, and physical impacts of victimization. The impact of victim services on the police and prosecutors was assessed through surveys and group interviews. Although services assisted victims in a variety of ways, there was only slight evidence that services reduced victims' emotional trauma. Police and prosecutors generally valued the victim assistance services, but neither used the services to capacity. Within 1 month of the crime, most victims showed high levels of distress on all measures. Four to 6 months later, distress symptoms other than fear had abated considerably. More distress was manifested among victims of severe crimes and those with higher levels of stress in the year before the victimization. Recommendations pertain to victim assistance and victim research. Descriptions of scales and measures are appended. 12 references.