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Meeting Victims’ Needs Post-Conviction Study Group

This study group, co-sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Corrections and the Minnesota Center for Crime Victim Services, identified the needs of crime victims in the post-conviction phase. Recommendations include providing accessible information, increasing victim access to offender information, and educating criminal justice staff. For more information, visit: http://www.clarityfacilitation.com/postconviction.

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Meeting Victims’ Needs Post-Conviction Study Group

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  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 offender’s 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 isn’t 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 • Victims need opportunities to be involved in justice-related programming. • Victims need corrections’ services to be accountable to victims.

  7. Overall Themes of the Recommendations from the Study Group • Provide victims with understandable, accessible information about corrections’ processes. • Increase victim access to information about offenders who harmed them. • 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.

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