Automated Victim Notification: Practices Aimed at Supporting Victims

• NCJ Number: 243843
• Date Published: September 2013
• Author(s): Seri Irazola; Erin Williamson; Emily Niedzwiecki; Sara Debus-Sherrill
• Length: 4 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2009-VN-CX-K102
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

This issue brief highlights findings from an evaluation regarding some of the practices that jurisdictions can use to improve services provided by their automated victim notification (AVN) systems, which are intended to provide crime victims timely and accurate information on court events and status changes in the course of their case processing.

Abstract

Although the evaluation found that victims registered to use AVN services are highly satisfied with the services they receive, there are indications that AVNs could be improved so as to respond better to the multiple needs and diverse populations of crime victims. Registration should be made as simple as possible, and notifications should provide comprehensive information tailored to victims' needs. In addition, more research is needed to determine the role of privacy and anonymity for victims when they register for AVN. The information presented in this issue brief was collected from multiple sources, including interviews with system administrators, surveys of service providers and victims, and case studies of States that use a range of practices to provide notification services to victims.