DOI: 10.3886/icpsr06436.v1
title: National Victim Assistance Agency Survey, 1992
title: Version 1

description: This data collection examines victim assistance programs
 that are operated by law enforcement agencies, prosecutor's offices,
 and independent assistance agencies. Victim assistance programs came
 into being when it was discovered that, in addition to the physical,
 emotional, and financial impact of a crime, victims often experience a
 "second victimization" because of insensitive treatment by the
 criminal justice system. Specifically, this study sought to answer the
 following questions: (1) What are the current staffing levels of
 victim assistance programs? (2) What types of victims come to the
 attention of the programs? (3) What types of services are provided to
 victims? and (4) What are the operational and training needs of victim
 assistance programs? The survey was sent to 519 police departments,
 sheriff departments, and prosecutor's offices identified as having
 victim assistance programs. Also, 172 independent full-service
 agencies that were believed to provide referral or direct services to
 victims (not just advocacy) were also sent surveys. Variables on
 staffing levels include the number of full-time, part-time, and
 volunteer personnel, and the education and years of experience of paid
 staff. Victim information includes the number of victims served for
 various types of crime, and the percent of victims served identified
 by race/ethnicity and by age characteristics (under 16 years old,
 17-64 years old, and over 65 years old). Variables about services
 include percent estimates on the number of victims receiving various
 types of assistance, such as information on their rights, information
 on criminal justice processes, "next-day" crisis counseling,
 short-term supportive counseling, or transportation. Other data
 gathered include the number of victims for which the agency arranged
 emergency loans, accompanied to line-ups, police or prosecutor
 interviews, or court, assisted in applying for state victim
 compensation, prepared victim impact statements, notified of court
 dates or parole hearings, or made referrals to social service agencies
 or mental health agencies. Information is also presented on training
 provided to criminal justice, medical, mental health, or other victim
 assistance agency personnel, and whether the agency conducted
 community or public school education programs. Agencies ranked their
 need for more timely victim notification of various criminal justice
 events, improvement or implementation of various forms of victim and
 public protection, and improvement of victim participation in various
 stages of the criminal justice process. Agencies also provided
 information on training objectives for their agency, number of hours
 of mandatory pre-service and in-service training, types of information
 provided during the training of their staff, sources for their
 training, and the priority of additional types of training for their
 staff. Agency variables include type of agency, year started, and
budget information.
description: The Victim Assistance Program Survey was part of
 a larger National Institute of Justice (NIJ) effort called the
 National Assessment Program (NAP). The NAP surveys a representative
 sample of more than 3,000 criminal justice agencies every three years
 to determine their problems and needs at the local level. Results of
 the survey inform NIJ's research and technical assistance programs. As
 violent crimes continue to increase in the United States, more victims
 are seeking aid from victim assistance programs. Over the last ten
 years, the types of victims served and the services provided by victim
 assistance programs have grown. Victim assistance programs serve a
 variety of victim types: surviving families of homicide victims and
 traffic accident fatality victims, as well as victims of assault,
 domestic violence, sexual assault, robbery, burglary, auto theft,
 child abuse, and other crimes. Programs provide counseling to victims
 of personal and property crimes, helping them locate needed services,
 educating them about criminal justice proceedings, and encouraging
 their participation in the criminal justice process without their
 becoming confused and frustrated. Agencies keep victims notified about
 the progress of their case, including information on the status of
 police investigations, bail decisions, court dates (including schedule
 changes), charging and plea bargaining decisions, sentencing outcomes,
 and parole proceedings (hearings, decisions, and release
 dates). Specifically, this study sought to answer the following
 questions: (1) What are the current staffing levels of victim
 assistance programs? (2) What types of victims come to the attention
 of the programs? (3) What types of services are provided to victims?
 and (4) What are the operational and training needs of victim
assistance programs?
description: A survey was sent to 519 police departments,
 sheriff departments, and prosecutor's offices identified as having
 victim assistance programs. Also, 172 independent full-service
 agencies that were believed to provide referral or direct services to
victims (not just advocacy) were also sent surveys.
description: Variables on staffing levels include the number of
 full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel, and the education and
 years of experience of paid staff. Victim information includes the
 number of victims served for various types of crime, and the percent
 of victims served identified by race/ethnicity and by age
 characteristics (under 16 years old, 17-64 years old, and over 65
 years old). Variables about services include percent estimates on the
 number of victims receiving various types of assistance, such as
 information on their rights, information on criminal justice
 processes, "next-day" crisis counseling, short-term supportive
 counseling, or transportation, and the number of victims for which the
 agency arranged emergency loans, accompanied to line-ups, police or
 prosecutor interviews, or court, assisted in applying for state victim
 compensation, prepared victim impact statements, notified of court
 dates or parole hearings, or made referrals to social service agencies
 or mental health agencies. Information is also included on training
 provided to criminal justice, medical, mental health, or other victim
 assistance agency personnel, and whether the program conducted
 community or public school education programs. Agencies ranked their
 need for more timely victim notification of various criminal justice
 events, improvement or implementation of various forms of victim and
 public protection, and improvement of victim participation in various
 stages of the criminal justice process. Agencies also provided
 information on training objectives for their agency, number of hours
 of mandatory pre-service and in-service training, types of information
 provided during the training of their staff, sources for their
 training, and the priority of additional types of training for their
 staff. Agency variables include type of agency, year started, and
budget information.
description: Response Rates: A total of 370 surveys were returned, resulting
 in an overall response rate of 54 percent. Thirty-two surveys were
 dropped from analysis because they were incorrectly completed, and 19
 surveys were dropped because the respondents indicated that they no
 longer had a victim assistance program. By type of agency, the
 response rates were 51 percent from police departments, 49 percent
 from prosecutor's offices, 46 percent from sheriff departments, and 24
percent from independent assistance agencies.
description: Presence of Common Scales: Several Likert-type scales were used.
description: Agencies receiving surveys were identified by the 1990
 National Assessment Program (NAP) survey and through the National
Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA).
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Data File
DS2: SAS Data Definition Statements
description: All agencies with victim assistance programs in the United
States.