Introduction
In the Criminal Justice System, crime victims have been noted to go through extremely distressing emotional feelings, associated with trauma, extremely high levels of anxiety, abuse of substance, depression, and impaired interpersonal and interpersonal, and vocational functioning (Resnick et al., 1993). Best et al (2006) states that emotional distress consequently leads to the individual victim experiencing very extreme fear, anxiety, and “aversive physiological arousal” and that these kinds of psychological problems are particularly common and intense among the victims who experience physical assault that led to the sustenance of physical harm or injury that required them hospitalized.
However, the victims do not receive any form of assistance or information from the hospital that may help them to cope with this challenge nor get them an idea on how to get compensation if at all they are entitled to any, a problem aggravated by insufficient or lack of participation by the victims in the judicial process for fear of being reminded of the kind of both physical and emotional pain they experienced (Best et al., 2006). The lack of knowledge may further make matters worse in terms of how to manage their emotional problems, as has been experienced in several court cases especially when the uninformed victim is called to testify as a witness (Best et al., 2006).
In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the victims’ emotional distress is triggered more when he or she sees the items or weapons that were used to harm him/ her, therefore tries to avoid any place where the weapon may be presented like a court, a temporary measure by the victims that is likely to be short-lived. The challenges have shown the need for strategies to address the gap.
As observed by Resnick et al. (1993), violence remains a rampant occurrence in the society with at least 10% f the United States residence exposed to a certain form of aggression in their lifetime, a trend confirmed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2001), National Crime Victimization Survey, which approximated that 60% of the victims did not report the violence to the police. However, the same data proved that this section of the affected group could easily be helped by appropriate strategies.
What is to be done and what methodology?
The program addresses the victims’ lack of knowledge on the process of the criminal justice system hence highlighting the benefits of full participation in the process of justice delivery. However, it mainly focuses on low cost but the high-quality method of message delivery to the people, with an aim of education to individuals rather than mass approach (Best et al., 2006).
This, therefore, requires a standardized delivery methodology, with the choice of well-scripted DVD use rather than mass media, for low cost and message delivery effectiveness to address the knowledge gap among the crime victims (Best et al., 2006). Best et al. (2006) says that the DVD contents are; criminal justice system process and its relevance to their problem, that entails the definition of frequently used terms in the criminal justice system like indictment and victim impact statements; victim’s rights discussions, crime compensation program explanation; and the benefits they are likely to draw once they participate in it such as gaining knowledge in the compensation process and procedure.
The DVD also contains more information on post-traumatic stress disorder and how to cope with symptoms or mitigate the impacts that come with it, the common psychological reactions from individuals who have been victimized, and how to reduce it (Best et al., 2006). The message, delivered with its brochure in a friendlier manner to avoid threatening or even embarrassing the victim, is somehow a replicate sample of the video-based rape victims’ intervention program (Rensick et al 1999).
In this program, the individuals who experienced serious bodily harm (injuries) get admission to the Trauma Center at the National Crime Victims Research Center of Medical University of South Carolina (Best et al., 2006). The services provided are the information on the available community agencies and social services that are valuable to the victims, information about the contacts of the advocates in the department of police, and information on the referrals especially for those who suffer mental health problems.
The Goals of the program
Overall, the actual goal of the DVD is to provide education to the victims of physical violence crime in the criminal justice system. It is also meant to help these victims reduce the emotional distress that they go through after such an experience. Designed to take 12 minutes of play, it is a color DVD with graphics that are meant to be attractive when watching for the victims with serious injuries from violent crimes. The accompanying multicolored, triple-fold brochure gives a clear summary of the main points, multiple shots from the DVD that is meant to remind the user/ viewer of the actual points illustrated in it (Best et al., 2006).
Even though the program is designed for the victims of violence who suffered psychological trauma and in the Criminal Justice System, to give them a reprieve in dealing with these consequences, the resultant Importance of this DVD is seen in a broader perspective than it was initially intended by the designers. According to Best et al. (2006), the other beneficiaries are out-patient emergency rooms, physical therapy facilities, rehabilitation centers, and primary healthcare clinics.
References
Best, L., Acierno, R., & Resnick, H. A multimedia program to improve criminal justice system participation and reduce distress among physically injured crime victims, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime. Web.
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization in the United States, 2001, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.
Resnick, H.S., Kilpatrick, D.G., Dansky, B.S. Saunders, B.E, & Best, C.L., Prevalence of civilian trauma and PTSD in a representative national sample of women, Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, No. 61(6), (1993).