Exploring Victim Service Providers Connection to the Criminal Justice System with a Lens of Carceral Care

• In Event: Assessing the Needs and Capacities of Victim Service Providers

Abstract

Care and services provided to victims offer another avenue to understanding potential complicated system that is carceral care. This paper looks at the relationship between different types of victim service providers (VSPs), their potential connections to the criminal justice systema and how this affects the reach of VSPs. Understanding the connection between the criminal justice system and victim service organizations may provider better understanding in how victims gain access to services themselves. The 2019 National Survey of Victim Service Providers (NSVSP) from the Bureau of Justice Statistics will provide the data for this paper. This survey collected information from VSPs, including victim demographics, referral process, and the services provided by different VSPs. This paper will focus on attempting to understand how VSPs may be interconnected within the larger systems associated with carceral care. Research for better understanding the relationship between victim services and the criminal justice system remains integral into understanding how victims access needed services.

Author

• Timothy Kauer, University of Missouri-St. Louis