Meeting Victims

1
Meeting Victims Needs Post-Conviction Study
Group

• Co-sponsored by
• The Minnesota Department of Corrections
• Minnesota Center for Crime Victim Services (now
  called the Office on Justice Programs)
• Met from January June 2003

2
Study Group Members

• The Study Group included 30 members
• Victim Services Staff from several kinds of
  agencies
• Members of Crime Victim Support Groups
• Case Managers from a DOC facility
• A Probation Agent a Field Services Regional
  Manager
• A Public Defender a Prosecutor
• Judges
• DOC Central Office staff Community
  Notification, Restorative Justice, Transitions

3
Victim Needs Identified Through Focus Groups With
Victims

• Victims need direct, upfront, and honest
  information about corrections processes and the
  offenders status.
• Victims need honest information about what to
  expect from restitution orders and for people in
  the system to hold offenders accountable for
  paying restitution.
• Victims need to be treated with respect by
  criminal justice system staff.

4
Identified Victim Needs Continued

• Victims need safety from threats and harassment
  from the offender during incarceration and upon
  release.
• Victims need to have control over if and how
  contact is made between them and the offender.
• Victims need to have the option of being with
  other survivors/victims in supportive settings.

5
Identified Victim Needs Continued

• Victims need different criminal justice agencies
  communicating with each other, so it isnt up to
  the victim to connect all the loose dots.
• Victims need to receive notification of changes
  in offender location, when they request it. The
  process for requesting notification needs to be
  known about and accessible to all victims.
• Victims need privacy.

6
Identified Victim Needs Continued

1. Victims need opportunities to be involved in
   justice-related programming.
2. Victims need corrections services to be
   accountable to victims.

7
Overall Themes of the Recommendations from the
Study Group

1. Provide victims with understandable, accessible
   information about corrections processes.
2. Increase victim access to information about
   offenders who harmed them.
3. Education for criminal justice staff about
   post-conviction victim needs.

8
Specific Recommendations

• Add based upon the kind of group you are
  presenting to.
• See the list of recommendations for different
  kinds of agency at http//www.clarityfacilitation
  .com/postconviction.