NCJ Number: 82776
Title: Sacramento County Probation Department Victim/Witness Project, October 1, 1978 to September 30, 1979
Corporate Author: Sacramento Cty Probation Dept
Date Published: 1981
Page Count: 79
Sponsoring Agency: California Office of Criminal Justice Planning
Grant Number: 79-DF-AX-0183
Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
Document: PDF
Type: Program/Project Evaluation
Language: English
Country: United States of America
Annotation: Findings and recommendations are presented from an evaluation of the Sacramento County Probation Department's (Calif.) victim/witness project.
Abstract: Service goals of the project were to reduce the trauma of victims and witnesses of violent crimes and elderly victims of property crimes, as well as to improve the efficiency and sensitivity of the criminal justice system in serving victims and witnesses. Direct services included counseling and intervention programs intended to reduce immediate victim trauma, and indirect services involved the dissemination of information to victims about the availability of social services, the operations of the criminal justice system, and what the victim should expect in the court system. The project's progress toward stated objectives involved the use of inhouse data collection forms completed monthly. Also, a victim/witness exit questionnaire was developed to determine the opinions and reactions of the client regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of the services. At the end of the project year, 3,677 victims had been screened as possible clients, and a total of 2,874 victims were contacted. As a result of the initial contact, 408 victims requested long-term project services, and 664 victims requested short-term services. In general, the project clients who responded to the followup questionnaire felt the program was useful and that services should be continued. Seven recommendations are offered, based on the project experience. Tabular data are provided, and appended are a flowchart, case record forms, a description of project services, a project organization chart, a staff training schedule, the client exit questionnaire, and the Probation Department's letter of response to the evaluation report.
Index Term(s): California; Criminal Justice System Response to Victims; Elderly victims; Property crime victims; Questionnaires; Victim counseling; Victim program evaluation; Victim-witness programs; Violent crimes; Witness assistance
Note: Office of Criminal Justice Planning number 4086-1-78 - Final first Year Evaluation Report
To cite this abstract, use the following link: http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=82776
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