FY 2007 Proposed Budget - Arlington County
Subject: Victim Witness Program Performance Measures
FY 2015 Proposed Budget Budget Work Session Follow-up April 11, 2014
The following information is provided in response to a question raised by Ms. Garvey at the work session with the County Manager on April 11, 2014, regarding clarification on the performance measures for the number of victims receiving services by the Arlington County Victim Witness Program.
Description of Services The Victim Witness Program serves victims of felony and misdemeanor crimes. For purposes of receiving services, crime victims fall into one of two categories, “direct” and “generic” service victims. Direct service victims are defined by statute as those individuals who have “suffered physical, psychological or economic harm as a direct result of the commission” of certain enumerated categories of crimes, including a felony, assault & battery, domestic assault & battery, sexual battery, stalking and DUI/Maiming. Direct service victims are legally entitled to receive Program services. Generic service victims are victims of crimes that do not fall within one of the statutorily mandated categories. The level of services provided by the Victim Witness Program varies depending upon the category of victim: o Generic service victims: program services provided to these victims include but are not limited to, the provision of pre-printed information, routine contact (brief, limited encounters with a victim) related to the advance notice of judicial proceedings, restitution, and case dispositions. Provision of services to this category of victims is discretionary. o Direct service victims: program services provided to these victims go beyond the provision of routine or generic services and are aimed at lessening the impact of being victimized. Direct services seek to alleviate problems or inconveniences arising from the commission of a particular crime. Examples of direct services include crisis intervention, assistance with crime victims’ compensation claims and court accompaniment. Provision of services to this category of victims is required by state law.
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Subject: Victim Witness Program Performance Measures
Explanation of Performance Measures A hundred percent of crime victims in Arlington County receive some level of service from the Victim Witness Program. In FY 2013, out of all crime victims served, 53 percent were direct service victims who received information and direct services; while 47 percent were generic service victims that received only information on basic rights and program service. The varying levels of service provided by the Program are displayed in the table below.
Critical Measures Percent of victims receiving services (generic and direct)
FY 2010 Actual
FY 2011 FY 2012 Actual Actual
FY 2013 Actual
FY 2014 FY 2015 Estimate Estimate
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Percent of victims receiving both information and direct services
73%
49%
56%
53%
58%
55%
Percent of victims receiving only information on basic rights and program service
27%
51%
44%
47%
42%
45%
At the minimum level of service, the Victim Witness Program in Arlington County offers all victims with an information packet on basic rights and services. This is a higher level of service than that offered by some other jurisdictions in Virginia, which do not have the resources or manpower to provide all crime victims with such resources.
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D-3
FY 2015 Proposed Budget Budget Work Session Follow-up April 11, 2014
The following information is provided in response to a question raised by Ms. Garvey at the work session with the County Manager on April 11, 2014, regarding clarification on the performance measures for the number of victims receiving services by the Arlington County Victim Witness Program.
Description of Services The Victim Witness Program serves victims of felony and misdemeanor crimes. For purposes of receiving services, crime victims fall into one of two categories, “direct” and “generic” service victims. Direct service victims are defined by statute as those individuals who have “suffered physical, psychological or economic harm as a direct result of the commission” of certain enumerated categories of crimes, including a felony, assault & battery, domestic assault & battery, sexual battery, stalking and DUI/Maiming. Direct service victims are legally entitled to receive Program services. Generic service victims are victims of crimes that do not fall within one of the statutorily mandated categories. The level of services provided by the Victim Witness Program varies depending upon the category of victim: o Generic service victims: program services provided to these victims include but are not limited to, the provision of pre-printed information, routine contact (brief, limited encounters with a victim) related to the advance notice of judicial proceedings, restitution, and case dispositions. Provision of services to this category of victims is discretionary. o Direct service victims: program services provided to these victims go beyond the provision of routine or generic services and are aimed at lessening the impact of being victimized. Direct services seek to alleviate problems or inconveniences arising from the commission of a particular crime. Examples of direct services include crisis intervention, assistance with crime victims’ compensation claims and court accompaniment. Provision of services to this category of victims is required by state law.
L:\DMFBUD\Bud15\Worksessions\Follow-up still in process\CWA - Victim Witness.docx
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Subject: Victim Witness Program Performance Measures
Explanation of Performance Measures A hundred percent of crime victims in Arlington County receive some level of service from the Victim Witness Program. In FY 2013, out of all crime victims served, 53 percent were direct service victims who received information and direct services; while 47 percent were generic service victims that received only information on basic rights and program service. The varying levels of service provided by the Program are displayed in the table below.
Critical Measures Percent of victims receiving services (generic and direct)
FY 2010 Actual
FY 2011 FY 2012 Actual Actual
FY 2013 Actual
FY 2014 FY 2015 Estimate Estimate
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Percent of victims receiving both information and direct services
73%
49%
56%
53%
58%
55%
Percent of victims receiving only information on basic rights and program service
27%
51%
44%
47%
42%
45%
At the minimum level of service, the Victim Witness Program in Arlington County offers all victims with an information packet on basic rights and services. This is a higher level of service than that offered by some other jurisdictions in Virginia, which do not have the resources or manpower to provide all crime victims with such resources.
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