The Center for Victim Research: Translating Research for the Victim Services Field

• In Event: 1523 - Practice Symposium Roundtables
  In Informal Discussion Roundtable: Table 9: Working in Social Services

Abstract

This round table will begin with a brief overview of the Center for Victim Research (CVR), and my role as a sociologist on a multidisciplinary team of research and policy staff across three partner organizations. The CVR is a one-stop online center that provides a suite of research-based resources, trainings, and technical assistance to enhance service providers’ capacity to use victim-related research and enhance their evaluation activities. Along with partners at the Justice Research and Statistics Association, and the National Center for Victims of Crime, researchers at the Urban Institute (Urban) are working to produce and disseminate practitioner-friendly research products for the CVR.
I will begin the roundtable by highlighting how the Urban team has used applied research in innovative ways for recent CVR projects, including a) the development of a new methodological approach used to integrate research and practice-based evidence in reports on understudied victimization topics, b) the provision of training and technical assistance to victim-service organizations, and c) the production of resources to inform practitioners about program evaluation methods. I will also discuss successes, challenges, and lessons learned by the Urban team. Drawing from CVR examples, I will end by facilitating a discussion about how sociologists can apply their skills to translate research for new audiences, including practitioners, policymakers, and colleagues from other disciplinary backgrounds.

The CVR is an Office for Victims of Crime-funded project of the Justice Research and Statistics Association, the Urban Institute, and the National Center for Victims of Crime. For more information, please see the CVR website at https://victimresearch.org/

Author

• Sara Bastomski, Urban Institute