Assessing Gaps in Services for Young Victims of Crime

• In Event: How Systems Work Together (or Don’t) to Serve Child and Youth Victims

Abstract

Research tells us that children and youth are disproportionately affected by crime and abuse, yet many crimes go unreported and these victims go unidentified. The effects of these experiences manifest in many ways-- physical illness, educational struggles, substance abuse, delinquency, and many others. The systems that encounter these children and youth - health, education, child welfare, juvenile justice - have the potential to identify these young victims and get them connected to timely assessment and intervention. In 2015 the Office for Victims of Crime funded Virginia to learn what it takes for states to bring together providers and determine ways to identify and serve young victims and their families.

The Virginia team surveyed front-line services providers throughout the state to collect data about how child/youth crime victims come into their systems. As a result, this project will help link systems that may not be interacting with each other. Also, an organizational readiness survey for state-level agencies was conducted to assess how trauma-informed service provision is received at the state level and agencies' readiness for change. Findings from both data collection activities will be introduced to explore the link between local stakeholders and state agencies to serve young victims of crime.

Author

• Jenna Foster, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice