Some Unexpected Effects of a Police Service for Victims

Abstract

This article examines the impact of a special police program for crime victims. Police officers recontacted recent victims by telephone. The officers were to find out whether they needed any assistance, refer them to support services, offer advice and information, gather any new information on the case, and indicate the department's continuing concern for their plight. Participating victims also were sent crime prevention materials. The program was evaluated using an experimental design. Victims were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups, and only the former were contacted. Then, follow-up interviews were conducted with all victims in order to assess the impact of the program.

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