NCJ Number
88098
Date Published
Unknown
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A sample of 100 Florida residents reports on preferences for minimum crime victim and witness services in the areas of witness management, domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, child abuse and child sexual abuse, and medical and evidentiary issues.
Abstract
The participants included persons from a wide variety of victim/witness related professions. Through three rounds of questionnaires, the participants reached a consensus on issues. In the first round, respondents were asked to list what they considered to be the 10 most essential services for victims or witnesses in the category assigned to them. In the two subsequent rounds, participants ranked the services listed in the first round in order of importance. A service was determined to be most essential if at least 50 percent of the respondents ranked the service in the top 50 percent of all the services listed. The most important service for victims of rape and sexual assault was considered to be a complete rape examination paid for by the State or appropriate law enforcement agency. The highest priority for victims of domestic violence was a safe shelter for the victim and his/her children, while the most valuable service for witness management programs was considered to be the provision of accurate and timely instructions about when the witness is to be available and where he/she is to be. The top service for crime victims not included in the specialized categories was crisis intervention services performed by trained advocates. The highest priority for victims of child abuse and child sexual abuse was an immediate investigation by sensitive, well-trained officers.