Effective Response to Victims of Crime PDF 2023

www.opcva.ca Ontario Police College Effective Response to Victims of Crime Prepared By: Amy Cook and Susan Labanich Date: February 2023 Version: BASIC CONSTABLE TRAINING | February 2023 © Queen's Printer f or Ontario, 2017 If We Could See Inside Each Other’s Hearts Cleveland Clinic, 2013 https...

www.opcva.ca Ontario Police College Effective Response to Victims of Crime Prepared By: Amy Cook and Susan Labanich Date: February 2023 Version: BASIC CONSTABLE TRAINING | February 2023 © Queen's Printer f or Ontario, 2017 If We Could See Inside Each Other’s Hearts Cleveland Clinic, 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCXWuBYTwI0 Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPsiLi89PQ4 Source: YouTube 2 Objectives Responding to victims of crime Roles and Responsibilities when assisting victims Resources Victimization Trauma Informed approach Intersectionalities Wellness 3 “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelou 4 Our Mandate – Communicating with Victims • Historical Treatment of Victims of Crime*** • Victim’s Bill of Rights, 1995 • Canadian Victims Bill of Rights • Police Services Act (Sec 42(1)(c)) • Policies and Protocols • Policing Standards VA-001 **For a full understanding the executive summaries or full inquiries should be read*** Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime After the 1995 conviction of Paul Bernardo Justice Campbell was appointed to review the investigation. Chapter 11 is dedicated to the sexual assault victim’s concerns They were asked to address: (1) their first contact with police (2) their contact with the detectives that investigated the matter (3) their feelings toward police at the end of the court process (4) their contact with victim support services 6 Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime First Contact Officers: “Some remember an initial response of concern and sensitivity. Others remember only comments by the officers made in bad taste, comments to this day as if the words were spoken yesterday” One of the most consistent themes of victim concern was the need to be regularly informed, as the investigation and proceedings progressed. 7 Historical Treatment of Victims of Crime “The most important conclusion from all of this is the importance of training for all officers involved in the response to and the investigation of sexual assaults, and the tremendous advantage for the victim of a consistent system of support, continuity and information about the progress of the investigation and prosecution.” From this Inquiry Ontario now has Major Case Management. One of the roles within OMCM is a victim liaison officer for all threshold major cases – this role is consistent with the Victims’ Bill of Rights 8 Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime In 2012 The Honourable Wally T. Oppal QC titled: Forsaken: The Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry “I conclude that the initiation and conduct of the missing and murdered women investigations were a blatant failure….these systemic police failures were not all encompassing. In the middle of the gross systemic inadequacies and repeated patterns of error, there were hardworking individual police officers who acknowledged the crisis and strived valiantly to solve the disappearances of the missing women.” 9 Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime “Often they were treated not as persons at all, but as “sub-human”s diminished in the eyes of many by their “high-risk lifestyle.” “Police contact with families and reportees can generally be described as minimal. Many family members expressed serious frustrations and distress over this lack of communication” “The family members perception of prejudice was based on an accumulation of factors, including frustration over unclear intake procedures, barriers experienced in reporting due to inconsistencies, lack of communication over the status of investigations…….” 10 Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime In 2015 there was an Independent Review of the Police and Prosecution Response to the Rehtaeh Parsons Case Rehtaeh and her family were only directed to VS by Avalon, a community-based resource, after several months of frustration mainly resulting from lack of communication about the investigative process What has since come to light is that the Parsons family required ongoing information about the investigative process and navigating the criminal justice system,…. 11 Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime Missing and Missed: Report of the Independent Civilian Review into Missing Persons Investigations – The Honourable Gloria J. Epstein 2021 Treating Affected Persons with Respect: “The police were described at times as dismissive, uncaring and uninterested.” “He and others believed the police initially gave inadequate attention to Ms. Well’s disappearance because she was a homeless trans sex worker with addictions.” 12 Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime “…when police fail to adequately communicate their efforts to family members and other loved ones of the missing individuals, it is understandable that those affected believe the police are uninterested and unmotivated. Communication is on antidote to perceptions of a lack of interest Finally, officers all too often attempt to minimize the concerns expressed about a missing person – with such comments as “he’s probably just partying with friends” or “she’ll come back – she’s young.” 13 Historical Treatment of Victim’s of Crime Search for Missing Man Ends Safely – January 2023 “We saw the professionalism and dedication of your team, when two officers visited us on the night of 5th January, just hours after our initial report. We also saw it in in the officers who we encountered in the early morning of Friday 6th January, looking for our son on the lake shore around Highland Creek Treatment Plant,” said the father. “We observed the house-to-house canvassing, in search of any camera footage that could help with finding him. During the day of the 6th of January, your officers were in contact with us, requesting information that could assist them in the search.” 14 “In order to empathize with someone’s experience, you must be willing to believe them as they see it, and not how you imagine their experience to be.” Brené Brown Victims’ Bill of Rights, 1995 Victims should be treated with courtesy, compassion and respect for their personal dignity and privacy by Justice System Officials Victims’ Bill of Rights, 1995 Victim means a person who, as a result of the commission of a crime by another, suffers emotional or physical harm, loss of or damage to property or economic harm and, if the commission of the crime results in the death of the person Crime means an offence under the Criminal Code Victim Bill of Rights of Canada Victims of Crime and their families have the right to be treated with courtesy, compassion and respect, including respecting their dignity Victim Bill of Rights of Canada victim means an individual who has suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage or economic loss as the result of the commission or alleged commission of an offence. offence means an offence under the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act or the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, a designated substance offence as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, a designated offence as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Cannabis Act or an offence under section 91 or Part 3 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Police Services Act Police Standards Manual Police Services • Section 42(1): Duties of a Police Officer • (c) Assisting victims of crime • Provides a guideline to Police Services in interpreting the PSA • See VA-001 (Victim Assistance) • Policies • Procedures 20 Resources Supports… • Victim Quick Response Program + • Victim Support Line 1-888-579-2888 • Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario (VCAO) • Chrysalis Anti-Human Trafficking Network • Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) • Victim Services • Community Agencies 21 Victim Witness Assistance Program • • • • Provide information, assistance and support to victims and witnesses of crime Assist in their understanding/participation in the court process Services are provided on a priority basis to the most vulnerable victims/witnesses of violent crime Services begin once charges are laid and continue until the court case is over 22 Victim Services The goal of victim services is to assist emergency personnel in providing short-term emotional support and practical assistance to victims of crime, tragic circumstance and disaster. 23 Who are the victims…? Primary ◦ Victim ◦ Survivor Secondary ● Family Members: ◦ spouse ◦ parents ◦ children ● Friends, Neighbours, Colleagues ● You and I 24 What is Trauma? Acute – single event (time limited) Chronic – experiencing multiple traumatic events Complex – exposure to trauma coupled with the impact it has System induced – a result of / reaction to… 25 Indicators of trauma? Behavioural Physical Hyper arousal Anger Aggression Fear Flight Flashbacks PTSD Nausea Submit Financial Numbness Freeze Hostility Trembling Fight Unpredictable Memory gaps Relational 26 Emotional / psychological Trauma Informed Approach? What is WRONG with you? What has HAPPENED to you? 27 Factors that contribute to Trauma ● ● ● ● Prior victimization Type and Severity of Crime Quality of Help and Support Personal attributes Stages of Trauma ● Impact ● Recoil ● Reorganization Initial Response ● Immediately ascertain safety ● Render emergency first aid, if necessary ● Determine need for additional medical and/or departmental resources ● Once the incident is stable, develop a supportive presence by reassuring the victim that she or he is no longer in immediate danger ● Victims who are emotionally distraught should not be left alone ● While collecting information and physical evidence necessary for the investigation and subsequent prosecution, officers should be perceptive to and sensitive about the victim’s psychological state ● Consider the method, manner, location, and timing of the victim interview, so as not to subject the victim to additional stress and trauma 29 Primary Considerations Keep in mind… • Safety (actual and perceived) • Information – step by step • Fair and sensitive treatment; build trust and rapport • Emotional support – engage resources Other considerations ● Victim could be the link to solving a crime ● Gather intelligence, foster informants ● Positive experience…better chance will trust police in future ● Further victimization ● Victim Blaming ● Tough to prosecute a crime without a victim 31 Additional Barriers… Intersectionalities - Some have additional vulnerability factors which puts them at a greater risk for violence - Immigration status - Socio-economic Status - Age - Gender - Mental / Physical Health Challenges Primary Trauma – happens TO you Secondary Trauma exposure to trauma that is not your own Vicarious Trauma over time, repeated exposure…alters fundamental beliefs Grounding Techniques Brené Brown on Empathy Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw Source: YouTube 42 Slide Title Presentation View Fullscreen Picture View “The Expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as being able to walk through water without getting wet” R. Remen THANK YOU Ontario Police College 10716 Hacienda Rd. Aylmer, ON N5H 2R3 [email protected] (w) 519-773-4488 (c) 226-972-4807 Susan [email protected] (w) 519-773-4230 (c) 226-268-3181 © Queen's Printer f or Ontario, 2017