Homicide Victims/Co-Survivors

Met with IL Byrne SCIP advisory board to discuss ERPO Implementation and Promising Practices.

Frederick requested assistance with developing their policies, procedures, and onboarding training for the new Victim Advocate and Victim Services Unit.

Caroline Huffaker will be providing this TTA. Caroline is the former Director of the Chattanooga, TN Victim Services Unit, which she stood up.

Frederick used VAWA funded support to assist with this review.

An integrated and comprehensive week of memorial activities that honor the memory of the officers lost in the line of duty, and building the basis for law enforcement survivors to understand ways they can begin to rebuild their shattered lives. C.O.P.S. Survivor's Conference includes over 70 counseling and debriefing sessions facilitated by professional counselors and peer support staff each year.

Agencies that have created HSGs have improved the overall outcomes of homicide investigations, increased clearance rates, strengthened police-community relationships, and garnered more witness cooperation in the prosecution of homicides. This webinar featured presenters from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) who have more than 10 years of experience supporting a Homicide Support Group program. We explored the history, program characteristics, and benefits of HSGs based on a trauma-informed, holistic approach to victim services.

CJI staff supported the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Working Group (CJRWG) in hosting a roundtable discussion with victim/survivors and victim/survivor service providers across the state. The Roundtable Conversation was held on November 16, 2021 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Gary Lacey Training Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. Twenty-seven (27) victim service providers and victim/survivors attended and participated in the Roundtable. The discussion was facilitated by Cortney Fisher, Consultant for CJI, and Victim Survivor Integration for Criminal Justice Services.

NCVC developed and posted on ncvctta.org a new blog post titled “ Technology and Victimization: What Prosecutors and Law Enforcement Can Do to Support Victims.” This blog post was written in partnership with Detective Bryan Franke, a 31-year veteran of the Longmont Police Department, and focused on the misuse of technology when violence is prevalent and how PSN sites can address this issue

In July of 2020, NCVC conducted a gap analysis to help the Cleveland Homicide Review Commission and its Service Provider Review Team improve the services
provided to victims and witnesses throughout (and beyond) homicide cases. In January 2021, NCVC met with The Northern District of Ohio’s (OH-N) Homicide Commission Review team to discuss the developed brief of relocation services and upcoming OH-N-focused TTA sessions. This support lasted for 60 minutes and included 13 individuals from the Homicide Commission Review team and local Cleveland service providers.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Training and Technical Assistance team hosted an 8-hour online training for 60 attendees focused on understanding the importance of trauma-informed policing and vicarious trauma, and also bringing awareness to self-care and resiliency. This training will be led by the National Center for Victims of Crime.

NCVC hosted an online webinar focused on Providing Trauma-Informed Death Notifications. In this training, Staci Beers, Victim Services Coordinator, FBI, presented best practices to perform a trauma-informed and compassionate approach to death notification and possible crisis reactions by survivors. This four-hour training included; best strategies to give compassionate and trauma-informed death notifications, interactive scenarios, and information on different referrals and services in Cleveland, Ohio.

In July of 2020, we conducted a gap analysis to help the Cleveland Homicide Review Commission and its Service Provider Review improve the services
provided to victims and witnesses throughout (and beyond) homicide cases. We released a corresponding report, the Northern Ohio Violent Crime Consortium
report. One significant finding in the report is that there exists a lack of funding for relocating crime victims and witnesses, which lead to this brief.