"The Impact of Police on Victims," in Emilio Viano (ed.) Crime and Its Victims.
Hemisphere Publishing Co, 1989, 71-78.
Victims traditionally have been the "forgotten participants" in the criminal justice system, valued by the police
only for their role in reporting crimes when they occur and appearing in court as witnesses. Studies of the
police have highlighted the extent to which their function is to deal (often inadequately) with victims' problems
rather than "fight crime." Police officers who respond to calls represent the sole contact that the majority of
victims have with the criminal justice system, for most crimes are never solved and many do not even warrant
a follow-up visit from a detective. As responding officers provide the primary link between victims and the
state, any attempt to improve the lot of crime victims inevitably will depend on the active assistance of these
officers. There is little systematic information on how the police deal with victims and what the effect of that
treatment is. Surveys indicate that most Americans have a favorable opinion of the police before an
emergency contact, but many come away from the experience unhappy. Past research suggests that victims
want information, recognition, advice, support, protection, and reassurance and that they often do not get
these from the police.
Hemisphere Publishing Co, 1989, 71-78.
Victims traditionally have been the "forgotten participants" in the criminal justice system, valued by the police
only for their role in reporting crimes when they occur and appearing in court as witnesses. Studies of the
police have highlighted the extent to which their function is to deal (often inadequately) with victims' problems
rather than "fight crime." Police officers who respond to calls represent the sole contact that the majority of
victims have with the criminal justice system, for most crimes are never solved and many do not even warrant
a follow-up visit from a detective. As responding officers provide the primary link between victims and the
state, any attempt to improve the lot of crime victims inevitably will depend on the active assistance of these
officers. There is little systematic information on how the police deal with victims and what the effect of that
treatment is. Surveys indicate that most Americans have a favorable opinion of the police before an
emergency contact, but many come away from the experience unhappy. Past research suggests that victims
want information, recognition, advice, support, protection, and reassurance and that they often do not get
these from the police.
Victim Research Abstracts
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