Reflection paper about criminal justice system

This unit gives you more insight into the consequences of victimization as well as the advocacy of victims. The consequences of victimization can include physical, mental, social, financial, and even health issues. Though the violent crime rate has been dropping since the 1990s, the medical consequences and long-term effects suffered by victims are still a focus in the area of victimology. Review the 2011 Crime Clock Statistics that show an average of how often violent crimes occur daily: 2011 Crime Clock Statistics A Violent Crime occurred every 26.2 seconds One Murder every 36.0 minutes One Forcible Rape every 6.3 minutes One Robbery every 1.5 minutes One Aggravated Assault every 42.0 seconds A Property Crime occurred every 3.5 seconds One Burglary every 14.4 seconds One Larceny-theft every 5.1 seconds One Motor Vehicle Theft every 44.1 seconds The most obvious consequence suffered by victims is typically physical, as these are easily observed and need treatment (Wallace & Roberson, 2015). Physical injuries are broken down into four categories as outlined by Wallace and Roberson (2015):

immediate injuries,

injuries that leave visible scars,

unknown long-term physical injuries, andlong-term catastrophic injuries (p. 63).

UNIT II STUDY GUIDE The Consequences and Advocacy of Victimization (Wallace & Roberson, 2015, p. 64) CMJ 3307, Victimology 2 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title From a medical standpoint, the physical trauma victims suffer varies, as some injuries are less severe like cuts and bruises, whereas others can be deadly, like gunshot wounds. There are also mental consequences. These can be different for every victim as every person reacts differently to situations and has a different meaning behind the word trauma (Wallace & Roberson, 2015).

There are sociological, criminological, medical, psychological, and legal definitions of crisis, all of which vary. For our purposes, we will define crime as a “specific set of temporary circumstances that results in a state of upset and disequilibrium, characterized by an individual’s inability to cope with a particular situation using customary methods of problem solving” (Wallace & Roberson, 2015, p. 66). After reading this definition, reflect on what you think the term crisis means, and try to remember some situations where you felt in crisis. Having your own definition or perhaps recalling past events will allow you to relate to how a victim or person in crisis may feel.

Despite the differences in meaning, most people experience three stages of crisis: impact, recoil, and reorganization (Wallace & Roberson, 2015). Each stage allows the person to move away from fear and rage and instead become balanced and attempt to return to normal. Some may experience acute stress disorder in the aftermath and others may have a long-term crisis reaction, otherwise known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Also, depending on the crisis, victims may become depressed or suffer from substance abuse.

Victims may also have financial and/or social consequences (Wallacee & Roberson, 2015). The financial consequences can be tangible like loss of property or medical costs, or intangible like grief, shock, and trust issues. It is easy to place a monetary figure on things stolen or medical costs, but think of how to compensate a victim for his or her grief or stress. The intangible costs are typically the ones where victims suffer long-term effects as it is difficult for the criminal justice system to deal with this aspect of crime. For example, if someone had a family member killed, how is the criminal justice system going to help with the intangible effects? The criminal justice system cannot bring the person back. The system cannot offer an amount of money to make the family feel better. Sometimes, they cannot get a conviction for the case. In situations like this, what can the criminal justice system possibly do to make the victim’s family better? Is it even possible?

This unit should make it apparent that victims react differently to crimes, from commission of the crime to the long-term effects, depending on the crime and the person. The criminal justice professional must be aware of these possible consequences of victims in order to work towards assisting them. Despite often being overlooked or maybe difficult to understand, victims are part of the system and cannot be ignored if the criminal justice system is to be successful.

The second chapter in this unit focuses on victim advocacy and how victims become involved in the system as well as the basics of how to advocate for them. The most common feeling many victims report is helplessness. Outsiders to the criminal justice system perceive victims as those who testify in court, and many think that is where their involvement ends. Due to the need for more than just testifying, the need for those trained in victim services, typically known as victim advocates, is growing. Victim advocates provide emotional support, linkage to resources, and help with paperwork or testifying at trial. Victim advocates often have a background in criminal justice combined with psychology and social work, but many receive their training within the field or at their agency. They work in various agencies within the criminal justice system such as in courts, police stations, domestic violence shelters, probation departments, or prisons/jails. Those in victim services must become familiar with different agents of social media as information can quickly be given through the use of smartphones and applications/websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube (Wallace & Roberson, 2015). The media can assist agencies and has proven to be influential in gaining support for causes and getting information disseminated quickly. Think of Amber Alerts. They used to only be on television, but now they come to your smartphone and are on Facebook and Twitter (Wallace & Roberson, 2015). That quickness of information can be critical in helping others. Historically, the criminal justice system has had issues in the media realm. Though we have “freedom of press,” often this conflicts with investigations or gives knowledge that may be better kept private. The major forms of media, which include newspapers, radio, and television, need to be understood by victim service workers as the media will frequently be encountered in their work. Knowing the rules, goals, standards, and practices can prove beneficial to ensure proper communication between the criminal justice system and the media, especially if called upon to do an interview (Wallace & Roberson, 2015). Title The victims’ rights area of criminal justice frequently deals with legislation. Knowing how laws are drafted, amended, and passed can assist agencies in empowering victims or bringing change. Potentially, more laws, such as the Amber Alert, can save lives, support past and future victims, and also assist in implementing change. Other skills beneficial for victim service workers are the ability to write speeches, speak in front of audiences, and fundraise. Many agencies that work with victims have to give speeches to community agencies and organizations, with the ultimate goal being to raise funds for their agency or cause. The need for money is high as many of these organizations are non-profit, and only a limited amount of government funding exists. By informing the community and educating them, many agencies are able to obtain the money necessary to continue working with victims

. Reference Wallace, H., & Roberson, C. (2015). Victimology: Legal, psychological, and social perspectives (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.