victim services Archives

Crime Victim Advocacy in the Aftermath of Firearms Crime

When someone discharges a firearm in an act of violence, this affects the lives of multiple people within a community. One successful model for addressing the impacts of crimes on a community—and sp...

Spotlight

Spotlight: Leading the Way in Victim Services

An organization’s self-evaluation often reveals both hidden strengths and hidden weaknesses. For Shakopee Police Department, a small agency in Minnesota, one of the latter was victim services. Their...

Victim Services

The Effect of Cultural Bias on the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Assault

This past year saw revelations of sexual harassment in several different arenas, including the realms of entertainment, news media, sports, and politics. Some of what has been exposed are criminal act...

Victim Services

What Does the Data Tell Us About Law Enforcement-Based Victim Services?

Despite major legal and policy developments on behalf of crime victims since the landmark passage of the Victims of Crime Act in 1984 (VOCA), U.S. federal data collection efforts illustrate that signi...

Investigations

A Chief’s View: Identity Theft: Resources for Police

Identity theft seems to be on everyone's radar screen. A 2003 study by the Federal Trade Commission found that identity theft affects almost 10 million consumers a year. Most states have enacted their...