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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for victims of crimes
27 results foundAuthor: Quigley, D. Title: Perceptions of Crime: Findings from the 2008/09 Northern Ireland Crime Survey Summary: "This bulletin is based on findings from the 2008/09 Northern Ireland Crime Survey (NICS), a representative, continuous personal interview survey of the experiences and perceptions of crime of 3,856 adults living in private households throughout Northern Ireland. Previously conducted on an ad hoc basis in 1994/95, 1998, 2001 and 2003/04, the NICS began operating on a continuous basis in January 2005. In addition to describing respondents’ perceptions of causes of crime, recent changes in crime levels and the extent of problems of anti-social behaviour in the local area, the bulletin illustrates three commonly used measures of concern about crime: 1. worry about crime and personal safety; 2. perceptions of the risk of victimisation; and 3. perceptions of the effect of ‘fear of crime’ on quality of life. The bulletin also contains a section on public confidence in policing, community engagement and the criminal justice system, measured as part of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) 2007 Public Service Agreement (PSA)." Details: Belfast: Northern Ireland Office, Statistics and Research Branch, 2010. 59p. Source: Internet Resource; Research and Statistical Bulletin 1/2010 Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 118702 Keywords: Crime StatisticsVictimization SurveysVictims of Crimes |
Author: Kercher, Glen Title: Victimization of Immigrants Summary: There is little published research on the victimization experiences of Asian and Hispanic immigrants to this country. That which does exist often is based on the impressions of police officers and district attorneys. There are a few studies which look at a particular immigrant group, but little focus on one geographical area and the different ethnicities residing there. Because Houston has an ever increasing number of foreign born residents, learning about their experiences is important to ensuring their safety and providing needed services. This report not only presents information on victimization experiences, but also on what influences whether victims seek assistance. Details: Houston, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, Crime and Justice Center, Sam Houston State University, 2008. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2010 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/ImmigrantVictimizationfinalcorrected.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/ImmigrantVictimizationfinalcorrected.pdf Shelf Number: 119890 Keywords: ImmigrantsVictimizationVictims of Crimes |
Author: Truman, Jennifer L. Title: Criminal Victimization, 2009 Summary: This bulletin presents the annual estimates of rates and levels of violent crime (rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault), property crime (burglary, motor vehicle theft, and property theft), and personal theft (pocket picking and purse snatching) in the US. The report describes the year-to-year change from 2008 and trends for the 10-year period from 2000 through 2009. The National Criminal Victimization Survey (NCVS) collects information on nonfatal crimes, reported and not reported to the police, against persons age 12 or older from a nationally representative sample of U.S. households. During 2009, 38,728 households and 68,665 individuals were interviewed twice for the NCVS. This report also includes data on the characteristics of victims of crime; estimates of intimate partner violence; and use of firearms and other weapons during the crime. Highlights include the following: An estimated 4.3 million violent crimes, 15.6 million property crimes, and 133,000 personal thefts were committed against U.S. residents age 12 or older in 2009; Violence against males, blacks, and persons age 24 or younger occurred at higher or somewhat higher rates than the rates of violence against females, whites, and persons age 25 or older in 2009; About half (49%) of all violent crimes and about 40% of all property crimes were reported to the police in 2009; and Violent crimes against females (53%) were more likely to be reported than violent crimes against males (45%). Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2010. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, October 2010: Accessed October 18, 2010 at: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv09.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv09.pdf Shelf Number: 119995 Keywords: Crime StatisticsProperty CrimeVictimization SurveysVictims of CrimesViolent Crime |
Author: Parkinson, Debra Title: Supporting Victims Through the Legal Process: The Role of Sexual Assault Service Providers Summary: The secondary victimisation suffered by women in sexual assault court cases is well documented and is a factor in women's reluctance to report sexual assault. Over recent years, state, territory and national governments have attempted to minimise the negative impacts of the law. Tasmania, for example, has introduced initiatives to increase access to Legal Aid and court support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. The ACT has offered specialist training to police, prosecutors and victim support workers, with new legislation in 2008 providing victims with improved protection during the court process. In NSW, the Attorney-General's Criminal Justice Sexual Offences Taskforce developed 70 recommendations on ways to improve the responsiveness of the criminal justice system to victims of sexual assault. These government initiatives affirm a general awareness that women's experience of the criminal justice system must improve if more women are to pursue justice through the courts. This Wrap examines one initiative to improve women's experience the criminal justice system through the provision of support for victims throughout the process. It is informed by consultations with sexual assault counsellors who have worked extensively in helping women navigate the legal system, and by other key informants. It draws on their expertise to distil strategies for effective practice. The case studies at the end of this publication illustrate a range of initiatives designed to improve justice outcomes for victims of sexual assault. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Wrap No. 8: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/wrap/wrap8/w8.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/wrap/wrap8/w8.pdf Shelf Number: 120342 Keywords: RapeSexual Assault (Australia)Victim ServicesVictims of Crimes |
Author: Shabangu, Themba Title: A Comparative Inquiry Into the Nature of Violence and Crime in Mozambique and South Africa Summary: The degree and type of violence that offenders use when committing crime is worrying and unexplainable. Offenders rape females during house robberies or carjacking. They shoot infants who cry during house robberies. They use guns and weapons to commit acquisitive and interpersonal crimes. The use of violence and weapons, especially in instances where the victim is neither resisting nor posing any danger to the offender, serves to increase fear of crime and insecurity. When this report was being compiled South Africans and policy-makers knew that crime is high. President Zuma and the Minister of the Police publicly stated that the government must reduce crime, violent crime in particular. This report, however, looks beyond the premise that reducing crime is the priority. Citizens are far more afraid of violence that threatens their lives, there is therefore an equally urgent need to develop interventions to reduce violence in general. This research centres on the assumption that the drivers for violence are different from those for crime. Accordingly, these phenomena, violence and crime, must be understood and managed separately. The interventions and skills required to prevent and reduce violence are different to those that must be employed to address crime. Another assumption that has driven this research is the knowledge that South Africans exposed to violence that was used to maintain the apartheid regime is being neither addressed currently nor was it managed during transitional period leading to the 1994 elections. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission provided a platform for offenders to disclose and to seek forgiveness from victims. It however did not address the effects of the apartheid violence on South Africans. The government and the South African society did not put in place public programs to assist South Africans exposed to state violence, alternatively to educate them about alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. As a result of the failure, violence has now become part of the societal culture. It manifests itself increasingly in relationships (domestic violence), crimes against privately owned property (car jacking, house robberies) and during public demonstrations (service delivery protests, xenophobia etc). Mozambicans also faced the same challenge as South Africans. Government has not put in place mechanism and institutions to assist citizens to cope with the effects of the civil war that raged for years. Unlike South Africa, where the truth and reconciliation process was put in place, Mozambicans have not gone through a similar process. The gap exists in both countries and feeds violence and crime. The primary purpose of this research is to interrogate the phenomenon of increasing levels of criminal violence in Africa, particularly during transitional period, by drawing on intellectual resources from different field such as criminology and psychology (see findings on chapter 5) and from perpetrators of violent crime serving time at Correctional Centres in South Africa and Mozambique. The specific issues that this research seeks to fulfil are: • To understand what triggers violence during the commission of crimes. • To investigate the variables that coalesce within violent perpetrators. • To clarify triggers and variables that coalesce to cause violence that can be addressed through interventions of criminal justice agencies and other agencies responsible for ensuring safety and security. • To establish areas for further in-depth research to assist decision-makers. This research was carried out in order to contribute to the body of evidence that seeks to explain the use of violence during criminal activities. It aims to explain the historical origins, motivating factors, the surrounding psychology and the use of violence when committing crime. The ultimate objective is to start debate and discussion that will lead to the review or confirmation of policies that will hopefully reduce both the general level of violence and its criminal application. South Africa and Mozambique are the foci of this study. A number of reasons such as, their geographical proximity, historical political, poverty and huge black population influenced this choice. These two countries have historical and developmental differences. They have different colonial legacies, have undergone political transition and are at different development stages. South Africa is a former British colony, achieved a peaceful transition to democracy and has the highest GDP per capita compared to Mozambique. Mozambique, on the other hand, is a former Portugal colony; the transition to democracy was violent and it experienced a protracted civil war. The colonial masters did not invest in Mozambique’s education or other infrastructure. By contrast, South Africa experienced a much larger degree of colonial investment. Some regions of South Africa have first-world infrastructure and communities benefitted (and still do) from education, albeit unequal in terms of quality. Other racial groups, specifically blacks and coloured racial groups continue to receive poor quality education as exemplified by the matriculation pass rates and school finishing rate. Some of the regions suffer from high levels of poverty. South Africa, like Mozambique, has high levels of illiteracy. By examining these contrasts and similarities, this report aims to reach a better understanding of the triggers of violence and crime-related violence in particular. One common feature between South Africa and Mozambique is that the state sponsored violence was committed in individuals’ private spaces and not in the bush. The violence was therefore intertwined with all aspects of their lives. They were not safe either walking on the street or even in their own homes. Ordinary warfare separates the “home space and the war space”. Details: Pretoria, South Africa: Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa), 2011. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.idasa.org/media/uploads/outputs/files/comparing_crime_in_mozambique_and_south_africa.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Africa URL: http://www.idasa.org/media/uploads/outputs/files/comparing_crime_in_mozambique_and_south_africa.pdf Shelf Number: 121298 Keywords: Victims of CrimesViolenceViolent Crime (South Africa and Mozambique) |
Author: Kercher, Glen Title: Stalking in Texas Summary: Stalking is not new behavior, but it has only been in the last sixteen years that every state and the federal government have passed laws making it a crime. This crime involves deliberate, repeated, unwanted, and fear-inducing acts on the part of one person toward another, usually in a relationship context of some kind. Stalking is not an easy crime to investigate. To those unfamiliar with the dynamics of this behavior, many stalking incidents may be seen merely as disagreements between intimates. Even before legislation was enacted to address this behavior, public awareness of this crime had increased as a result of news accounts of persons who had been so victimized. It has been estimated that one in 12 women and one in 45 men in this country will be stalked at least once in their lifetimes. This report presents information on stalking victimization among Texas residents. The data for this report came from a telephone survey of a random sample of Texas residents. Over 700 adult residents were queried about their experiences with stalking. They were asked if in the last 24 months they had experienced any of 19 stalking behaviors. Surprisingly, 18.26% of the respondents (n=128) reported being stalked during that time period. The significant findings from this study are summarized. • 128 victims reported 453 stalking incidents in the past 24 months. • The 2 most frequently reported stalking acts were receiving repeated phone calls, and having things stolen from the victim. • Stalking victims are most likely to be under 35 years of age. • Asian residents showed the highest rate of victimization, followed by Hispanics. • Stalking victims are most likely to be single/never married, but separated/divorced residents were the second most likely to be stalked. • Men (16%) and women (19.9%) were about equally likely to be stalked, which is contrary to what has been reported elsewhere. • The average number of stalking incidents per victim was 3.5. This number did not differ by gender of victim. • Over 75% of stalking victims reported at least one adverse emotional effect. The most common effect was anger, followed by loss of sleep. • Stalking victims are likely to be acquainted with the offender (57%). The most commonly reported relationship with the offender was a male acquaintance (26%). This was true for both men and women. • Stalking is often preceded by violence between the victim and offender. Of those who previously knew the offender, 61.6% reported prior violence by the offender. This suggests that stalkers are often motivated by possessiveness and control issues. • Among the victims who had some idea why they were targeted (75%), the most common reason given was jealousy on the part of the offender. • Only 43% of victims reported the incidents to the police. Based on these findings, recommendations were made about the need for continuing educational efforts for the public and for people who work with victims of this crime. The importance of victim input in investigating this crime was underscored, as were suggestions for thoroughly investigating reports of stalking and the provision of support services for victims. Details: Huntsville, TX: Crime Victim's Institute, Criminal Justice Center, Sam Houston State University, 2007. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2011 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/Stalking_Report.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/Stalking_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 121608 Keywords: HarassmentStalking (Texas)VictimizationVictims of Crimes |
Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Victimisation and Fear of Crime Among a Sample of Police Detainees: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: This study examines the self-reported victimisation and fear of victimisation for three crime types — physical assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft — using data collected from 816 adult police detainees interviewed as part of the AIC’s DUMA program. Specifically, data were collected from alleged offenders who were detained and interviewed (but not yet convicted) during the second quarter of 2010 (April–June) at any one of the following eight DUMA data collection sites—Bankstown, Parramatta, Brisbane, Southport, East Perth, Adelaide, Footscray and Darwin. For each of the three offence types, detainees were asked to indicate the number of occasions they had been a victim in the past 12 months and whether they considered it likely or very likely that they would be a victim of the offence in the next 12 months. For those who reported being victims, questions were also designed to ascertain the victim’s knowledge of their offender and their willingness to report their victimisation to the police. To identify the extent to which police detainees reported higher or lower rates of victimisation when compared with the general population, comparative analysis was conducted using data from the Australian component of the 2004 ICVS. However, as the detainee population was predominately male and aged under 35 years, and because victimisation experiences are likely to vary by age and gender, weighting the data was necessary to ensure accurate and reliable comparisons. To this end, the ICVS data were weighted in proportion to the age and gender profile of the DUMA detainees. There are a number of limitations that should be considered when interpreting these results. First, it is important to note that DUMA is a voluntary self-report survey of alleged offenders detained by the police and as with all self-report surveys, the quality of the data is dependent on the truthfulness and reliability of the respondents. Second, the ICVS data used for comparative analysis was collected in 2004, some six years earlier than the data collected from police detainees. Although other more recent victimisation surveys have been conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), data with sufficient disaggregation by age and gender to allow for detailed data weighting and analysis are not available to the public. Further, unlike ICVS, the ABS surveys do not include comparable questions on the fear or expectations of victimisation; see Sweeney and Payne (forthcoming) for further methodological information about the DUMA program. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 17: Accessed September 2, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/9/3/%7B8933D211-6500-4622-A82F-39AD291FE76E%7Drip17_001.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/9/3/%7B8933D211-6500-4622-A82F-39AD291FE76E%7Drip17_001.pdf Shelf Number: 122623 Keywords: Fear of Crime (Australia)VictimizationVictimization SurveysVictims of Crimes |
Author: Halliday, Donna Title: Anfield Victim Champion: Final Evaluation Report Summary: The Victim Champion project was implemented in Liverpool in 2010 to improve the level of support provided to victims and witnesses of anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the city. In addition to this, the role of the Victim Champion coordinator was to deliver the Making WAVES project (Anderson et al, 2008) in the Anfield area. Evaluations of the Making WAVES projects implemented in other areas across Liverpool (Anderson et al, 2008; Eckley et al, 2011; Quigg et al, 2011; Warren et al, 2011) have shown them to be successful in: providing tailored support to intimidated victims and witnesses, encouraging them to enter and progress through the criminal justice system; facilitating a multiagency approach to tackling crime and providing support; and building trust between the community and local agencies. The Making WAVES strand of the Victim Champion project was introduced in Anfield, an area where residents were subjected to high rates of crime and intimidation (Harrison et al, 2010a). The Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University has been commissioned to conduct a process and outcome evaluation of the Victim Champion project, specifically the Anfield Making WAVES element. In 2010, a community crime and witness intimidation survey was conducted to inform the development of the project (Harrison et al, 2010a). An interim process evaluation report was produced in November 2010, providing recommendations for project development in its early stages (Harrison et al, 2010b). This report provides the overall evaluation, including: caseload analysis; key partner and project user views on the project; and an assessment of the impact of the project on crime and intimidation in the local community. Details: Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 2011. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2011 at: http://www.cph.org.uk/showPublication.aspx?pubid=729 Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cph.org.uk/showPublication.aspx?pubid=729 Shelf Number: 122665 Keywords: Victim ServicesVictims of CrimesWitness Intimidation (U.K.) |
Author: Park, Seong min Title: Improving Statistical Modeling of Repeat Victimization: Zero-inflated Effect and Bayesian Prediction Summary: Repeat victimization has become an important issue in the study of crime. However, studies on repeat victimization have not fully paid attention to the statistical characteristics of repeat victimization. In this study, I review the statistical characteristics of repeat victimization and identified three main statistical concerns that should be considered in order to improve the understanding of the phenomenon of repeat victimization: First, studies on repeat victimization have misrepresented the stochastic characteristics of repeat victimization. Second, researchers have neglected the possibility that there may be a large portion of the population who are practically immune from victimization. Third, I expect the accuracy of predicting future victimization may be increased by using both prior information and frequentist likelihood functions simultaneously. To address these concerns, I propose two statistical models: (1) the zero-inflated negative binomial model, and (2) the Bayesian predictive model. From the analysis of Korean Youth Panel data with these proposed models, I find that accounting for zero-inflated effects produces information about victimization that is not otherwise available. And I also detect that the causes of zero-inflated effects are sometimes different than the causes of high risk or event dependency. However, I fail to find optimistic utility of Bayesian methods for studying repeat victimization. Though Bayesian methods can be used to develop individual victimization predictions that are comparable across people and circumstances, their prediction accuracy is less than a much simpler procedure: forecasting victimization based on prior victimization only. The limitations of this study and the suggestions for future studies are discussed. Details: Cincinnati: University of Cincinnati, Department of Criminal Justice, 2010. 144p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed October 22, 2011 at: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi/Park%20Seong%20min.pdf?ucin1289841060 Year: 2010 Country: Korea, South URL: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi/Park%20Seong%20min.pdf?ucin1289841060 Shelf Number: 123094 Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (South Korea)Repeat VictimizationVictims of Crimes |
Author: U.S. Department of Defense Title: Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies: Academic Program Year 2010–2011 Summary: Section 532 of Public Law Number 109-364, the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, requires an assessment at the Military Service Academies (MSA) during each Academic Program Year (APY). This assessment is to determine the effectiveness of the policies, training, and procedures of the academy with respect to sexual harassment and assault involving academy personnel. In APYs beginning in even-numbered years (e.g., APY 10-11), the Report is comprised of the Department’s assessment, statistical data on sexual assault, and results of focus groups of cadets and midshipmen conducted by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). The Department of Defense (DoD) Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) and the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity (ODMEO) use this annual assessment as an oversight tool to monitor improvement of the Department’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) and Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Programs. To that end, the assessment of the SAPR and POSH Programs was organized by the priorities established in the DoD-wide SAPR Strategic Plan approved in December 2009. For APY 10-11, the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point is overall partially in compliance with the Department’s policies regarding sexual harassment and assault. Actions undertaken by USMA will ensure compliance with Department Policy for sexual harassment and assault, as well as enhance the program. USMA will ensure all cadets and Sexual Assault Response Coordinators are trained in accordance with the Department’s policies; reporting options are clear and in line with Policy; and provide effective oversight of the SAPR and POSH Programs. USMA did demonstrate one commendable practice that should be considered for replication by other MSAs. The Department will reassess USMA before the next Report to Congress in order to document improvement in the program. Overall, the United States Naval Academy (USNA) is in compliance with the Department’s policies regarding sexual harassment and assault for APY 10-11. USNA put considerable time and effort into the Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention and Education training program to prevent sexual harassment and assault. Additionally, USNA has a well-organized SAPR staff to train midshipmen and support victims. However, there are areas for improvement to USNA’s program and initiatives pertaining to training effectiveness. Additionally, USNA demonstrated four commendable practices that should be considered for replication by other MSAs. The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is in compliance with the Department’s policies regarding sexual harassment and assault for APY 10-11. USAFA’s SAPR and POSH Programs are mature and robust. These programs were taken seriously and given the appropriate attention at the Academy. USAFA has implemented innovative and unique ideas to draw awareness to this issue and provided support to victims. However, there are areas for continued improvement of USAFA’s program. Additionally, USAFA demonstrated nine commendable practices that should be considered for replication by other MSAs. One of the Department’s strategic priorities is to build a climate of confidence that brings more victims forward to report sexual assault and to obtain needed support and services. During APY 10-11, there were a total of 65 reports of sexual assault; 38 Unrestricted Reports and 27 Restricted Reports. Initially, the MSAs received a total of 37 Restricted Reports, but 10 converted to Unrestricted Reports at the victims’ request. The 65 reports represent an increase from the 41 reports made in APY 09-10. The Department does not have the ability to conclusively identify the reasons for this increase in reporting behavior. However, in prior years’ assessments, the Department identified steps the academies could take to encourage more victims to report. Some of the increased reporting of sexual assault may be attributed to these efforts as well as many other factors. DMDC conducted focus groups at all three MSAs in the Spring of APY 10-11 covering topics such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, reporting, leadership response, training, and bystander intervention. Although focus group results are not able to be generalized to all students at each of the MSAs, the themes serve as illustrations of situations and attitudes for consideration in the assessment of the SAPR and POSH Programs. The academies should analyze focus group responses to improve SAPR and POSH Programs. Areas include reasons for not reporting a sexual assault, training improvements and the issue of sexual assault victim collateral misconduct. The MSAs did not complete all the recommendations from the APY 08-09 Report. The academies must implement the remaining 18 recommendations from the APY 08-09 Report, and the necessary actions items put forth in the APY 10-11 Report in a timely manner. Additionally, the academies will provide an update on implementation before the end of the APY. The Department will follow up with the academies every 6 months thereafter to ensure all actions are completed. While a number of challenges remain, the Department believes the greatest of these pertain to the prevention and reporting of sexual assault. Using survey and focus group data, the Department encourages the academies to employ their considerable academic and programmatic resources to implement meaningful, evidence-based prevention and reporting interventions. In addition, identifying and tracking key measurements over time will be critical to demonstrate to stakeholders the efforts underway at the MSAs. Preventing sexual harassment and assault at the MSAs, as well as in all aspects of military service, remains a top priority for the Department. The APY 10-11 report demonstrates some progress towards that goal. However, more can be done in the prevention of and response to sexual misconduct. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, 2011. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 10, 2012 at: http://www.sapr.mil/media/pdf/reports/FINAL_APY_10-11_MSA_Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.sapr.mil/media/pdf/reports/FINAL_APY_10-11_MSA_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 123555 Keywords: Military AcademiesSexual AssaultSexual HarassmentVictims of Crimes |
Author: Northern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection Title: The Use of Special Measures in the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland Summary: It is widely accepted that many people who are victims of, or witnesses to crimes, find the criminal justice process stressful. Certain classes of witnesses have particular needs by reasons of age, personal circumstances or fear of intimidation. These witnesses may need help to overcome the many anxieties of the criminal justice process and trial. In an acknowledgement of the needs of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses (VIWs) ‘special measures’ were introduced to assist certain categories of witnesses to give their best evidence in court with as little stress as possible. They include the screening of witnesses in court, the use of closed circuit television, the removal of wigs and gowns, and video evidence. The use of special measures is particularly important in cases involving children and sexual offences. The Department of Justice (DoJ) has been reviewing the effectiveness of the statutory special measures to assist vulnerable and intimidated witnesses and invited Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) to undertake a formal inspection into the area as part of the review process. The aim of the inspection was to examine the use of special measures and its effectiveness in achieving best outcomes for witnesses. The findings and recommendations of Inspectors broadly underpin and reinforce the work of the DepartmentalWorking Group in this area. The inspection found that special measures are of vital importance in helping vulnerable and intimidated witnesses give their best evidence. Inspectors heard positive feedback from victims and witnesses about the assistance they received and the impact it had on preparing them for giving evidence in court. Witnesses were found to give better evidence when they had a choice about the ways in which it was given. The support to victims and witnesses was regarded as invaluable. Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2012. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 27, 2012 at: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/e6/e684b2e9-231e-4c06-b496-5b744e10c0cb.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/e6/e684b2e9-231e-4c06-b496-5b744e10c0cb.pdf Shelf Number: 125076 Keywords: Victims of CrimesWitness IntimidationWitnesses (Northern Ireland) |
Author: Australia. Victims of Crime Coordinator Title: A Rollercoaster Ride: Victims of Sexual Assault: Their Experiences with and Views about the Criminal Justice Process in the ACT 2009 Summary: This report provides information principally derived from two studies involving a number of adults who had experienced a sexual assault and who had reported the incident to police in the ACT. The first component involved qualitative interviews with individual victims of sexual assault to ascertain in depth their views and experiences of the criminal justice process. The second involved the research participants answering questions about procedural fairness using a computer program specifically designed for a larger national research project. The decision to report a sexual assault to police has far reaching implications for the women and girls, men and boys who chose to do so. While any individual person will be influenced by a range of factors in deciding to disclose, or not, those interviewed for this research primarily felt motivated to protect themselves and to protect the community by reporting the incident(s) to police. Victims of sexual assault who participate in the criminal justice process do so with a high degree of ambivalence mixed with a strong sense of responsibility to see justice done. Victims of sexual assault value highly the principles of procedural fairness. They rank highly the principles of honesty, absence of bias, fair and just decision-making, and inclusion. They value being treated with respect, sensitivity and fairness. They value being made to feel safe and being given clear and timely information. How victims of sexual assault experience these principles and values in reality produces a mixed picture in the ACT. Most of those interviewed for this research found the police, prosecutors and victim liaison staff to be supportive and positive. Consequently, they did not consider withdrawing their report. For those who actually appeared in court, the judiciary was experienced as supportive and respectful. Interviewees valued the contact made by victim liaison staff in the justice agencies, and considered the support and counselling provided by the various victim services to be helpful and encouraging. Those victims who appeared in court generally found the experience of defence lawyers to be humiliating and difficult. A range of specific aspects to the criminal justice process were noted by the participants to this research to be unhelpful and discouraging. In particular, comments or behaviour from justice practitioners that was interpreted as lacking in empathy, understanding or belief, inadequate information, insufficient preparation and lack of follow up, not being given opportunities to be involved or to be heard, some counselling support being difficult to access, the length of time the process took and number of adjournments, and media intrusiveness. Perhaps surprisingly, victims interviewed for this report were unanimous that their decision to report to police was right for them and that they would encourage reporting to a friend who was sexually assaulted. One, however, was ambivalent about reporting in the future if she herself was sexually assaulted again. All participants wanted the offender apprehended, charged, convicted and rehabilitated (often in prison) because they wanted to ensure that others were safe. On the question of victim choice and control, all participants in the research project thought the police and prosecutors needed to have the control over the laying of charges and decisions to prosecute. They believed it shouldn’t be about their preference. At the same time, all those interviewed felt that police and prosecutors should ask victims their views, and be supportive and respectful of these in the decision-making process. Similarly, all participants in the research project felt that their views should be taken into account at sentencing but did not feel the decisions about length of sentence and type of punishment should be up to them. They thought the judge should take account of their views and their victim impact statement but that the decision should remain with the judge. A number of matters limit the general applicability of the findings of this research project. These are that only a small number of people provided feedback, the participants were all adult, and a majority of participants not only had the offence committed against them charged and prosecuted, but also the majority had their case result in a plea or finding of guilt. These last two factors are generally atypical in all Australian jurisdictions. Details: Canberra: ACT Government, 2009. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2012 at: http://www.unb.ca/observ/documents/ARollercoasterRideFINAL.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.unb.ca/observ/documents/ARollercoasterRideFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 125741 Keywords: RapeSexual ViolenceVictims of CrimesVictims of Sexual Assault, Criminal Justice System |
Author: Charles, Corrine Title: Special Measures for Vulnerable and Intimidated Witnesses: Research Exploring the Decisions and Actions Taken by Prosecutors in a Sample of CPS Case Files Summary: Victims and witnesses play a central role in the prosecution process. The CPS relies on the evidence of victims and witnesses to deliver successful prosecutions and ensure justice is done. Some victims and witnesses may have particular difficulties attending court and giving evidence due to their age, personal circumstances, fear of intimidation or because of their particular needs. This was recognised in the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (‘YJCEA 1999’), which provides a range of special measures which the court can direct in order to assist ‘vulnerable and intimidated’ witnesses to give their best evidence in court. The measures include: § Giving evidence behind a screen positioned around the witness box; § Giving evidence by a live TV link from a room outside the courtroom; § Giving evidence in private by clearing the courtroom of members of the public; § Removal of wigs and gowns by judges and lawyers; § Use of video-recorded interviews as evidence in chief; § Examination of the witness through a Registered Intermediary; and § The provision of aids to communication such as through a computer or other device to communicate when giving evidence. Vulnerable witnesses are defined by the YJCEA 1999 as all child witnesses (under 18) and any witness whose quality of evidence is likely to be diminished because they are suffering from a mental disorder (as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983); have a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning (including learning disability); or have a physical disability or disorder. Intimidated witnesses are defined as those suffering from fear or distress in relation to testifying in the case. Although a vulnerable or intimidated witness might be eligible for special measures, the measures will not automatically be available at the trial. An application for special measures must be made to the court by a prosecutor, on behalf of the witness, and must be made within set time limitations. While a number of positive impacts for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses have been demonstrated since the introduction of special measures, the research evidence also highlights a number of areas where special measures do not work as well as they might. Recurrent themes that are pertinent to the role of the prosecutor in seeking special measures include: § Vulnerable and intimidated witnesses are not always identified at the earliest opportunity; § Victim and witness needs are not always considered by the CPS at the charging stage; § Where a vulnerable or intimidated witness has been identified in a case, the police and the CPS rarely hold an ‘early special measures discussion’ to assist case progression; § Prosecutors infrequently hold ‘special measures meetings’ with vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to discuss matters; and § Applications for special measures are often made late. Evidently, there are some concerns regarding the effective use of special measures. In this context, the present research was commissioned to provide further insight into a number of these issues; focusing in particular on areas where the CPS has a direct role and responsibility. The research aimed to identify aspects for improvement or greater effectiveness for prosecutors in relation to their role in the special measures process. It focused on three areas of concern: § Identification of the need for special measures; § Communication with the police and with witnesses regarding special measures; and § The timeliness of special measures applications. The research also looked at the quality of special measures applications and whether the measure(s) sought were appropriate to the needs of witnesses. The outcomes of applications were also considered to understand the reasons why any had not been granted by the court. Details: London: Crown Prosecution Services, 2012. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/research/cps_research_on_special_measures.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/research/cps_research_on_special_measures.pdf Shelf Number: 126303 Keywords: CourtsProsecutorsVictims of CrimesWitness IntimidationWitnesses (U.K.) |
Author: Orr, Kate Skellington Title: Perceptions of Summary Criminal Justice in Scotland Summary: In July and August 2011, three deliberative research workshops were held with members of the public in Scotland: one each in Ayr, Livingston and Aberdeen. This was part of a wider evaluation to explore the impact of Summary Justice Reforms (SJR) on victims and witnesses, as well as to gauge public perceptions of the summary justice system, and the reforms overall. This report focuses specifically on participant’s understanding, perceptions and expectations of the Summary Criminal Justice System in Scotland; how people view justice per se; and what could be done to improve or maximise public confidence in the system. The research found that there was limited and often inaccurate knowledge of the criminal justice system in Scotland among participants in this research. Participants did, however, want to know more about the system and there was a desire for fewer barriers to information, including the removal of jargon in the system, to make it more accessible. Participants wanted to see greater respect for victims and witnesses in the system, including better treatment at court and the receipt of case progress information at all stages of the justice process. The public court experience was perceived to be intimidating and not easy to understand, and this was compounded by perceptions that professionals working within the court system (including defence and prosecution agents) were unsympathetic to how daunting the experience may be for members of the public. Participants perceived the current system to treat the accused better than victims and witnesses, and believed that the court and prison system was not taken seriously by some offenders. Views on sentencing were complex. Community sentences and community payback were generally well supported by all participants as a means of delivering ‘visible justice’, which directly benefited those affected by the crimes. Views on custodial sentences were more varied with views expressed that while prison sentences needed to be imposed in a fair and consistent manner, they also needed to be sufficiently tough that offenders would be deterred from committing further crimes. Restoring and improving social values of respect for justice and authority overall was seen as a key underlying challenge to improving public confidence in the future. There was no suggestion, however, that responsibility for this should necessarily sit with the justice system. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government Social Research, 2012. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 26, 2012 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0040/00405883.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0040/00405883.pdf Shelf Number: 127004 Keywords: CourtsCriminal Justice SystemPublic OpinionSentencingSummary Criminal Justice (Scotland)Victims of CrimesWitnesses |
Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) Title: EU-MIDIS Data in Focus Report 6: Minorities as Victims of Crime Summary: The average rate of criminal victimisation for all groups surveyed in EU-MIDIS was 24 %, in other words every fourth person from a minority group said that they had been a victim of crime at least once in the 12 months preceding the survey. More ‘visible’ minority groups – that is, those who look visibly different to the majority population – report, on average, higher levels of victimisation in EU-MIDIS than immigrant or minority groups who look similar to the majority population. These results, however, mask significant differences depending on the EU Member State in which generic respondent groups, such as ‘Roma’ or ‘Sub-Saharan African’, live. On average, 18 % of all Roma and 18 % of all Sub-Saharan African respondents in the survey indicated that in the 12 months prior to the survey they had experienced at least one ‘in-person crime’ – that is, assault or threat, or serious harassment – which they considered as being ‘racially motivated’ in some way. In comparison, less than 10 % of other groups indicated that they considered they had been a victim of ‘racially motivated’ in-person crime. The survey asked respondents a series of questions about their experiences of criminal victimisation in relation to the following five crime types: •theft of or from a vehicle; •burglary or attempted burglary; •theft of personal property not involving force or threat; •assault or threat; •serious harassment. Given that many crimes are relatively rare events, EU‑MIDIS asked respondents about their experiences of crime in the last five years; this report, however, explores findings from the survey with respect to people’s experiences in the 12 months preceding the survey interview. The analysis of results and recommendations are thus based on more up‑to‑date information. Follow‑up questions focused on how often interviewees had experienced assaults or threats and serious harassment in the last 12 months. These results showed whether certain groups were more prone to repeat victimisation. The survey questions also asked interviewees whether they considered their experiences of victimisation to be motivated in any way by their ethnic minority or immigrant background. Details: Vienna, Austria: FRA, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2012 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2012-eu-midis-dif6_0.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2012-eu-midis-dif6_0.pdf Shelf Number: 127206 Keywords: Hate CrimesMinority GroupsRacial Discrimination (Europe)VictimizationVictims of Crimes |
Author: Truman, Jennifer L. Title: Criminal Victimization, 2011 Summary: This report presents 2011 estimates of rates and levels of criminal victimization in the U.S. This bulletin includes violent victimization (rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault) and property victimization (burglary, motor vehicle theft, and property theft). It describes the annual change from 2010 and analyzes 10-year trends from 2002 through 2011. The bulletin includes estimates of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and injury and use of weapons in violent victimization. It also describes the characteristics of victims. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) collects information on nonfatal crimes, reported and not reported to the police, against persons age 12 or older from a nationally representative sample of U.S. households. During 2011, about 79,800 households and 143,120 persons were interviewed for the NCVS. Details: Washington, DC: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2012. 15p. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2012 at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv11.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv11.pdf Shelf Number: 127253 Keywords: Crime StatisticsProperty CrimeVictimization SurveysVictims of CrimesViolent Crime |
Author: Larsen, Jacqueline Title: Experiences of Trafficked Persons: An Indonesian sample Summary: The true extent of people trafficking is difficult to gauge, in part because of low levels of reporting and identification of trafficked persons, the clandestine nature of the crime, and a lack of reliable data and systematic data collections, The data collected by the International Organization for Migration in its Counter Trafficking Module Database is unique in the breadth and depth of information collected regarding the experiences of trafficked persons. The IOM Indonesia CTM database holds information relating to 3,701 trafficked Indonesians between January 2005 and January 2010. In this paper, the experiences of this group of trafficked persons is compared and contrasted against the existing literature in order to strengthen knowledge about the nature of people trafficking in the southeast Asian region. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 449: Accessed May 28, 2013 at: http://aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi449.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi449.html Shelf Number: 128837 Keywords: Forced LaborHuman Trafficking (Australia)Sexual ExploitationVictims of Crimes |
Author: Di Tella, Rafael Title: Happiness and Beliefs in Criminal Environments Summary: This paper uses newly available data to describe the distribution of crime victimization and other criminal activities (including drug trafficking and corruption) around the world. The paper then documents a negative (positive) correlation between measures of criminal activity and happiness and measures of positive (negative) emotions. The paper also studies the correlation between ideological beliefs and criminal activity, finding that crime victims are more likely to believe that hard work does not pay and that the government should increase the amount of redistribution to the poor. Details: Washington, DC: Inter-American Development Bank, 2008. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Department Working Paper: 662: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://www.iadb.org/res/publications/pubfiles/pubWP-662.pdf Year: 2008 Country: International URL: http://www.iadb.org/res/publications/pubfiles/pubWP-662.pdf Shelf Number: 131815 Keywords: Crime Victimization Victims of Crimes |
Author: Tasmania Law Reform Institute Title: Protecting the Anonymity of Victims of Sexual Crimes Summary: The purpose of this Report is to review the operation of s 194K of the Evidence Act 2001 (Tas) which prohibits the publication of information likely to identify the complainant in sexual offences cases. It examines the adequacy of the law in achieving its objective of affording appropriate protection to victims of crimes of sexual assault. The Report also considers the position of victims who do not seek the protection of anonymity but who prefer that their voice be heard. The prohibition also applies to information likely to identify other witnesses in sexual offences cases, with the exception of the defendant. Although in some instances the observations and recommendations made may apply equally to other witnesses in sexual offences trials, the principal focus of this report is on the victims of sexual crimes. A related matter that falls outside the terms of reference for this Report is the extent to which authorised reports of cases, such as the Supreme Courts published Comments on Passing Sentence, are edited to ensure compliance with the requirements of s 194K. In responding to IP 18, Womens Legal Service Tasmania noted that the details contained in these can lead to identification whereas media reports are edited to avoid that likelihood. Detailed consideration of these issues is beyond the scope of this inquiry, although it may be something that the Court may like to pursue. The Report examines whether the current law requires clarification both of its scope and terminology, whether its purposes might be better achieved either by the introduction of additional features into s 194K or by the creation of a new statutory scheme, and whether it strikes the appropriate balance between protecting victims of sexual assault and the paramount public interest in open justice. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmania Law Reform Institute, 2013. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/461768/S194k_Final_05_A4.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/461768/S194k_Final_05_A4.pdf Shelf Number: 132075 Keywords: Sex OffensesSexual AssaultVictims of Crimes |
Author: Nordic Council of Ministers, Title: Trafficking In Human Beings. Report from a conference on Identification of victims and criminals -- why we do not notice them Summary: The conference Identification of victims and criminals - why we do not notice them arranged 30-31 May 2013 in Tallinn, Estonia formed the conclusion of a Nordic-Baltic-Northwest Russian cooperation project and gathered together around 80 participants to discuss ways of identifying victims and criminals and why we do not notice them, even though we now have available to us facts, figures, research and knowledge about human trafficking. The report presents summaries of the presentations, the Panel discussion and the recommendations from the Round Table discussions. Details: Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers, 2014. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: https://www.norden.org/en/publications/publikationer/2014-526 Year: 2014 Country: Denmark URL: https://www.norden.org/en/publications/publikationer/2014-526 Shelf Number: 132181 Keywords: Human TraffickingSexual ExploitationVictims of Crimes |
Author: Freeman, Karen Title: Understanding the relationship between crime victimisation and mental health: a longitudinal analysis of population data Summary: Aim: To determine whether a change in crime victimisation status (from non-victim to victim) affects mental health. Method: Fixed effects models were used to examine the effect of physical violence and property crime victimisation in the past year on future mental health. The sample pooled 110,671 records from 16,187 persons aged 15 years or older who participated in at least two waves of the Australian Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) survey between 2002 and 2011. The analysis controlled for all time-stable factors as well as a wide range of dynamic variables known to be associated with mental health (i.e., partner status, area of residence, labour force status, financial prosperity, ability to raise funds in an emergency, alcohol consumption, smoking status, physical activity, general health, social networks and number of life events). Results: The analysis revealed that becoming a victim of violent crime results in a decrease in mental health. Females had a more pronounced decline in mental health after becoming a victim of violence compared with males. By contrast, there was no evidence that becoming a victim of property crime has a detectable impact on mental health for either females or males. Conclusion: Being a victim of violent crime has an adverse effect on mental health. This effect is apparent for both male and female victims, however there is a greater effect of violent crime on women's mental health. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 177: Accessed June 18, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb177.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb177.pdf Shelf Number: 132498 Keywords: GenderLongitudinal StudyMental HealthProperty CrimeVictimizationVictims of CrimesViolent Crime |
Author: Taylor, S. Caroline Title: Policing Just Outcomes: Improving the Police Response to Adults Reporting Sexual Assault Summary: The prevalence of sexual assault and its consequent harm to both individual victims and society as a whole has now been widely researched, documented and recognised in Western jurisdictions for generations. In particular, policing of this gendered5 crime has been the subject of many research endeavours and police organisations have increasingly opened their doors to academics and other researchers in pursuit of evidence-based knowledge that will assist them to enhance their training, investigations and Brief preparations in this respect. Victoria Police has been among the foresighted police organisations in this regard over the past several years. This report is the result of one major research endeavour concerning reports of sexual assault made by adults and the related police response, investigation and management involving Edith Cowan University in partnership with Victoria Police. This study was designed in terms of three strands, each of which incorporated a number of interrelated research programs. Strand one focused on victims/survivors and it proceeded through the use of an online survey and interviews of adult victims/survivors as well as focus groups and interviews of police officers in the State of Victoria and rape crisis counsellors from Centres Against Sexual Assault located across Victoria. Strand two focused on police decision-making processes and police networking in relation to complaints of sexual assault by adults. It proceeded through close reading of Victoria Police operational case files, individual interviews and focus groups involving police, and a focus group of Office of Public Prosecutions personnel. Strand three focused on the management of the police response and the recruitment, training and development of police for the specialist role of sexual assault policing. It proceeded through the use of strand two methods, as well as observation of Victoria Police training courses, police trainee feedback sheets and online survey, and interview of trainers in relation to the specialist sexual assault policing role. Details: Perth, Western Australia: Edith Cowan University, 2012. 411p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2014 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/fcdc/inquiries/57th/Child_Abuse_Inquiry/Submissions/Professor_Caroline_Taylor_Appenedix_1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/fcdc/inquiries/57th/Child_Abuse_Inquiry/Submissions/Professor_Caroline_Taylor_Appenedix_1.pdf Shelf Number: 133932 Keywords: Police AttitudesPolice Decision-MakingPolice InvestigationsRape (Australia)Sexual AssaultVictims of CrimesViolence Against Women |
Author: Niemi, Johanna Title: Abuse of a victim of sex trade. Evaluation of the Finnish sex purchase ban Summary: The report explores the effectiveness of the offence 'abuse of a victim of sex trade', (Criminal Code, chapter 20 section 8). Enacted in 2006, this provision prohibits the purchasing of sex from a victim of human trafficking or procuring. It is complemented by section 7 of the Public Order Act, which prohibits the purchasing and the offering for sale and selling of sex in a public place. The report also explores the situation in the UK and Sweden. Sweden has had a comprehensive sex purchase ban in place since 1999. Information on the situation in Sweden is available in a report published in 2010 and the annual reports of the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings. The relevant legislation in the UK as reformed in 2009 closely resembles the Finnish corresponding legislation. Because no study of the effectiveness of the British legislation has yet been conducted, interviews were conducted to gain a better picture. The situation in Finland was explored through statistics and register data, interviews with 18 experts and a review of court documents. Statistics show that between 2006 and 2013, a total of 379 cases of 'abuse of a victim of sex trade' were registered by the police. Charges were brought against 49 persons and tried. The district courts have sentenced 42 persons for 'abuse of a victim of sex trade' or an attempt thereof. The default fine has been established at 20 day-fines. Fines for purchasing and selling sex, pursuant to the Public Order Act, were imposed in 106 cases between 2003 and 2011. Most of these fines were imposed on the sellers. Investigating and proving 'abuse of a victim of sex trade' has turned out to be challenging. The report concludes with recommendations. Details: Helsinki: Finland Ministry of Justice, 2014. 137p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 17, 2014 at: http://oikeusministerio.fi/material/attachments/om/julkaisut/FMVCU3esJ/OMSO_13_2014_Sex_136_s_korjattu.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Finland URL: http://oikeusministerio.fi/material/attachments/om/julkaisut/FMVCU3esJ/OMSO_13_2014_Sex_136_s_korjattu.pdf Shelf Number: 133740 Keywords: Human TraffickingProstitutesProstitutionSex TradeSex TraffickingSex Workers (Finland)Sexual ViolenceVictims of Crimes |
Author: Beckett, Helen Title: Suffering in silence: Children and unreported crime Summary: This report presents the findings of a Scoping Inquiry into the hidden victimisation of children and young people, undertaken on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Victims and Witnesses of Crime. The Inquiry was commissioned in response to findings from the most recent Crime Survey for England and Wales which indicates that less than one-fifth of children and young people who experience theft or violent crime report this to the police. The charity Victim Support, who provides the secretariat to the APPG, undertook research for the Inquiry in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire. Evidence was gathered in four ways: - a short review of existing literature; - an analysis of relevant data sources including the Crime Survey for England and Wales; - a rapid call for evidence from charities, service providers, statutory bodies and campaigners; and - three focus groups with children and young people. Details: London: Victim Support, 2014. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2015 at: Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 134632 Keywords: Children, Crimes Against (U.K.)TheftVictims of CrimesViolence Against Children |
Author: Howard, Marilyn Title: Unequal, Trapped and Controlled: Women's experience of financial abuse and potential implications for Universal Credit Summary: inancial abuse is often misunderstood but can have a devastating impact. This coercive and controlling behaviour can leave women with no money for basic essentials such as food and clothing. It can leave them without access to their own bank accounts, with no access to any independent income and with debts that have been built up by abusive partners set against their names. Underreported and poorly recognised, financial abuse affects women across the income distribution and in a range of different ways. Even those who may have a full-time salary or who share joint accounts with their partners are not safe from financial abuse. It is also important to understand that it seldom happens in isolation: in most cases perpetrators use other abusive behaviours to threaten and reinforce the financial abuse they are conducting. It is therefore vital that action is taken to improve understanding of the nature and impact of financial abuse among staff in all frontline services that may come into contact with domestic violence survivors. There is also a particular need for organisations such as banks to pay specific attention to customers who may be experiencing abuse and to support them to access money that is rightfully theirs and find safety. Universal Credit poses a particular challenge. A benefit that is set to be paid on a household basis sits uneasily with the realities of financial abuse, where men in some households use money to abuse their partners. Under current plans they will be able to do so more easily once Universal Credit is rolled out. But there is a range of ways the system could be improved to ensure that it does not collude with or exacerbate financial abuse. These include automatically paying Universal Credit to the main carer and making the payments more frequent than monthly. These changes, alongside ensuring that women fleeing violence are fast tracked to new claims and that joint claim processes include opportunities for confidential reporting, could help ensure that women experiencing abuse can be supported. Details: London: Trade Union Congress, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2015 at: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/UnequalTrappedControlled.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/UnequalTrappedControlled.pdf Shelf Number: 135547 Keywords: Credit Card FraudFinancial AbuseFinancial CrimesIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of CrimesViolence Against Women |
Author: New Zealand. Law Commission. Title: The Justice Response to Victims of Sexual Violence. Criminal trials and Alternative Processes Summary: In its Report The Justice Response to Victims of Sexual Violence: Criminal Trials and Alternative Processes (R136), the Law Commission completes a review of trial processes in sexual violence cases and makes recommendations for change. It considers whether a non-criminal process is a viable alternative way of dealing with certain incidents of sexual violence, where that is desired by the victim, and puts forward a proposal to give effect to such an alternative. It also suggests that victims should have wraparound support throughout their time in the justice system and proposes the creation of a commission against sexual violence which would be responsible for leading and coordinating the provision of support to victims of sexual violence. The Law Commission makes a total of 82 recommendations across three distinct areas. Those recommendations include the following: Trial process and the courts - There should be a limit on the amount of time it takes for criminal proceedings involving sexual violence to get to trial. - Less traumatic methods of giving evidence at trial should be made available to complainants of sexual violence. - All judges who sit on sexual violence trials should receive special training. - A specialist sexual violence court should be piloted and future consideration should be given to whether proceedings in that court should or should not be heard in front of a jury. Alternative process - Government should put in place a legal and policy framework to give effect to an alternative process that could operate entirely separately of criminal trial. - The process would provide for a victim to complete a programme that addresses the harm caused by the sexual violence and that facilitates discussion with and reparation by the perpetrator, if appropriate. - It would be run by accredited, expert providers. - There would be some flexibility as to how the process is run by each provider but nationwide standards would ensure the safety of participants and cases could be rejected if the provider assessed them as unsuitable based on public safety risk or risk to the victim. - If this process was successfully completed by a perpetrator, the incident of sexual violence could not form the basis of a subsequent criminal prosecution. Support for victims - Government should develop training and education programmes for all those who interact with sexual violence victims in a professional capacity and should also consider a national accreditation programme. - A sexual violence commission should be established to coordinate support services for victims and to promote communication and consultation across the sector, and between government-based and community-based support providers. - The commission should also be responsible for carrying out research, delivering training and education programmes, and accrediting and monitoring the providers of the alternative process. Details: Wellington, NZ: Law Commission, 2015. 249p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2016 at: http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/projectAvailableFormats/NZLC-R136-The-Justice-Response-to-Victims-of-Sexual-Violence.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/projectAvailableFormats/NZLC-R136-The-Justice-Response-to-Victims-of-Sexual-Violence.pdf Shelf Number: 137458 Keywords: Criminal TrialsSex OffendersSexual ViolenceVictims of Crimes |
Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: Service and support needs of specific population groups that have experiences child sexual abuse: Report for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) contracted researchers from the Gendered Violence Research Network (GVRN) at UNSW Australia to provide a literature review on the support needs of specific population groups affected by institutional child sexual abuse. Two core questions were agreed with the Royal Commission to comprehensively address the focus of the literature review. These were: Question 1: Do different groups of survivors have distinctive service and support needs? Question 2: What does the research tell us about interventions targeted at specific groups and about the effectiveness of these interventions? This report distinguishes the particular support and service needs of victims of institutional child sexual abuse and how these needs may differ from victims of non-institutional child sexual abuse. In addition, it examines whether factors such as context, duration and perpetrator influence the nature and extent of longer-term effects on survivors. The literature presented relates specifically to services and support provided to three select population groups: - people who have experienced child sexual abuse in an institutional context - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - people with disability. The first group is of primary interest to the Royal Commission, while the latter two groups have been included because of their increased vulnerability to child sexual abuse compared with the general population, their long history of institutionalisation carried out as accepted government policy, and their continued over-representation in various forms of institutional care. However, it is important to note that the research on institutional child sexual abuse does not always distinguish between these population groups, and victims could potentially be at the intersection of all three. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2017 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/df1215dd-9351-4ccf-bc57-c7a210cf3e05/Service-and-support-needs-of-specific-population-g Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/df1215dd-9351-4ccf-bc57-c7a210cf3e05/Service-and-support-needs-of-specific-population-g Shelf Number: 144491 Keywords: Child Sexual AbuseVictims of CrimesVictims of Sexual AbuseVictims Services |