Responses to address trauma and instability experienced by crime victims
Helping victims of violence heal and achieve stability means they will be far less likely to be victims again or turn to crime themselves. Jurisdictions have begun implementing programs for victims of crime that provide wrap-around services, including legal assistance, emergency and transitional housing, and immediate crisis assistance.
Strategies
(1) Trauma Recovery Centers (TRCs) are designed to comprehensively address a victim’s recovery challenges to stabilize people in crisis, support healing, and prevent re-victimization. TRCs combine accessible, immediate crisis assistance with free or affordable mental health support for survivors of violence. Dozens of localities are now building TRCs to help underserved survivors of violence.
Trauma Recovery Center examples:
1. The Central Iowa Recovery Center
2. UC San Francisco Division of Trauma Recovery Services
3. The Brenda Glass Trauma Center
(2) Survivors of violence may also benefit from specialized and free legal help to navigate relevant civil legal processes. Civil legal issues often emerge in the aftermath of victimization, and those issues can prevent stability and keep victims in crisis. Examples of relevant civil legal services include the need to get out of a lease to move into safer housing or assistance with obtaining a civil protection order against an abuser.
Examples of civil legal services for victims of domestic violence:
(3) Often, individuals experiencing domestic violence or human trafficking experience barriers to accessing crisis assistance such as safe emergency housing. Domestic violence shelters provide safety and connection to other crisis assistance, such as victims’ compensation, counseling, and relocation services.
Emergency domestic violence shelter programs:
1. Miami-Dade County Advocates for Victims Program, Miami-Dade County, Florida
2. DC Safe, Washington, D.C.
3. Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Inc Delray, Florida
What does the research say about Responses to address trauma and instability experienced by crime victims?
Since the California state pilot program began in 2001, lawmakers have expanded the TRC model to more than a dozen programs statewide because TRCs have established a track record of addressing the needs of traditionally underserved crime survivors, such as people experiencing street violence, younger victims, people who are homeless, LGBTQ+ victims, and communities of color. Findings from a four-year randomized clinical trial and subsequent research have demonstrated this model to be both treatment- and cost-effective. Read more about the Trauma Recovery Center model here.
This annual survey, conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence, document the number of people who sought services in a single 24-hour period, as well as the types of services requested, the number of service requests that went unmet due to a lack of resources, and the issues and barriers that domestic violence programs face as they strive to provide services to victims of domestic violence. Read the 16th annual report here.
The 4 Community-Based Public Safety Solutions
Scaling Safety recommends four core community based safety solutions that are supported by research and capable of preventing—and even stopping—the cycle of crime.