Exhibit 3: VictimConnect Logic Model

This image is exhibit 3 of the article Evaluating Technology-Based Services for Victims of Crime.

GOAL: Ensure that victims of all backgrounds and crime types have access to secure, high-quality resources supportive of recovery and empowerment.

Visitors:

• Objective: Assemble and make accessible resources and assistance supportive of the recovery and empowerment of victims of all backgrounds and crime types in communities nationwide.
• Inputs: Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) funds VictimConnect’s services to visitors, i.e. victims and their support networks (family, friends, service providers, etc.).
• Activities: VictimConnect uses four modalities to provide resources to visitors: softphones, online chat, text messaging, and web resources.
• Outputs: Number and percent change of softphone, text, chat, and web search interactions with visitors. Percent change in diversity of visitor demographics.

Technology:

• Objective: Develop an innovative and reliable VictimConnect technological platform that provides secure access to resources for all crime victims.
• Inputs: National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) technology team. Web-based phone, text, and chat platforms.
• Activities: Implement an omni-channel cloud contact center. Codify technology testing protocols. Develop protocols for updating and expanding online resources.
• Outputs: Technological platforms have 99.999% uptime during operational hours. Number and percent change of online resources updated.

VictimConnect Staff and Volunteers:

• Objective: Maintain a VictimConnect infrastructure of knowledgeable, compassionate, motivated, and vicarious trauma-informed staff and volunteers.
• Inputs: VictimConnect leadership team. Victim Assistance Specialist (VAS). NCVC technology team. Existing VAS training materials.
• Activities: Develop vicarious trauma action plan (e.g., professional development, staff wellness). Convert training to online modules. Develop volunteer program.
• Outputs: Implementation of vicarious trauma action plan and performance evaluation measures. Number of online modules created. Implementation of volunteer program.

Outreach and Collaboration:

• Objective: Operate a resource center widely known and accessible to service providers in diverse communities. Conduct outreach efforts and collaborate with other programs.
• Inputs: National Hotline Consortium members. Intra- and inter-agency victim assistance programs/providers. NCVC marketing team.
• Activities: Update outreach materials. Partner with intra- and inter-agency programs/providers. Develop a strategy for providing TTA to other service programs/providers.
• Outputs: Number of outreach materials expanded. Number of new collaborations. Publication of TTA guiding principles. Number of agencies that solicit our TTA.

Evaluation and Improvement:

• Objective: Continually evaluate VictimConnect’s implementation fidelity and outcomes, making program improvements in response to evaluation findings.
• Inputs: Existing VictimConnect literature and data. Partnership with the Urban Institute.
• Activities: Develop evaluability, research capacity, and implementation fidelity processes. Use evaluation to explore new ways to best support victims via technology.
• Outputs: Evaluability assessment, evaluation plan, and implementation toolkit created. New ways to use technology to support victims are tested and implemented.

Outcomes: 

Visitors:

• Visitors have reliable access to VictimConnect call, chat, text, and website platforms.
• Visitors have access to up-to-date, high-quality referrals.
• Visitors are more satisfied with their interactions with VASs.
• A greater number of visitors access resources that VictimConnect shares.
• A greater diversity of victims are served, including underserved victims.
• Visitors have increased knowledge about different victimization types and services available to them.
• Visitors’ needs are addressed in a streamlined and comprehensive manner.

Other Service Providers:

• Other providers have an increased capacity to deliver high-quality services to victims of crime.
• Other providers turn to VictimConnect as a model for best practices for responsibly and effectively using technology to support crime victims.
• Other programs are encouraged to integrate research into their practice.

Assumptions:

• To best support and empower victims, service providers should be victim-centered, trauma-informed, and protective of victims’ safety.
• In the aftermath of crime, victims need access to helpful information, as well as practical, emotional, and financial support.

External Factors:

• Crime rates and trends
• Policies or laws that affect the criminal or civil justice processes (e.g., changes to statutes of limitations)
• Government operations (e.g., a government shutdown)
• Funding for victim services generally, including other victim assistance providers
• Victim access to technology (i.e., internet, phone service)

Note: TTA = training and technical assistance.