It's January 11, 2016 and I am getting ready to attend the victim impact panel. My thoughts going into this event are filled with uncertainty. I suspect, I will hear many things that will hit home and cause me to reflect on my personal situation. As I look back, I consider myself very fortunate. I was not in a car accident. I did not hurt anyone or myself. I thank god every day for that fact. As I approached the justice center, I suspect the story I am about to hear will have a very different ending. I clear security and proceed to the third floor. My initial thoughts as I sit with the attendees is that I am surprised by the number of young people and women attending the meeting. Shortly after checking in, the probation officer informed the group that the speaker had to cancel.
The Victim Impact Panel took place at the Buzz Westfall Justice
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Center which is located at 100 South Central Avenue, Clayton MO 63105. As previously mentioned, the guest speaker Joan cancelled so Probation Offers Chris Egan and Carl Dickens hosted the meeting. The meeting started shortly after 6:00 pm. Chris opened the meeting by updating the audience on a meeting format change. We then engaged in a conversation about how the dwi's had affected everyone personally. We discussed how our personal situation impacted us financially in terms of legal fees, increased cost of insurance, and treatment costs. We also discussed how our legal problems had also caused us hardships in other areas whether it was loss of a job, embarrassment, health issues related to stress and so on. Probation Officer Egan also educated the group on the difference between a SSIS and SSES. After the discussion we watch a video that was a compilation of stories shared by law enforcements, healthcare providers, friend of victims, accident victims and drivers who had harmed or killed a passenger. The opening comments where graphic and resonated me. The commentary shared included insightful facts about teen deaths; drunk driving is the number killer of teens today. The teens featured in the videos shared how many use alcohol because of peer pressure. They partake in alcohol related activities so that the fit socially or use it to loosen their inhabitations. The unfortunate things is that many of us and especially teens don't think before they indulge in drinking. Many don't think if I have a drink or a few how will the alcohol affect me. Will I be impaired? What activity should I not do if I have this drink. The lack of acknowledgement and lack of planning often has a negative end result. The video highlighted a teen who assigned responsibility for taking care of our friends. He stated we should never let someone drive drunk. He challenged the viewers to have a backup plan if their driver decides to drink. Always have a back up whether its having money for a taxi, plan to stay over, call a friend or have a trusted agreement with their parents or a friend. We heard about Nikki's story and a night that changed her life forever.
We listened to a story that started out as three friend celebrating but ended tragically. We saw these young ladies abuse alcohol, taking 5 shoots in a short timeframe. We saw Nikki visual impaired and falling down drunk. We saw her peeling herself off the concrete and getting in the car with her friends. Nikki was impaired and speeding. She was driving at least 20 miles over the speed limit when she hit a concrete bench in a park. One of the victims in the car was killed. Nikki herself suffered numerous injuries which left her in a coma for some time. Upon wakening up from the coma it became apparent that Nikki suffered some brain damage. She didn't remember one of friends who has harmed in the accident. Activities that skills that were once something she excelled at were now a struggle for her. Today she uses a cane to assist her with her walking. Nikki appears to be navigating her way thru her new life but her emotional health will also suffer. She has to live with the fact that she took a life because of her
recklessness. We also heard the story of three young men who were out partying and were just a short distance from home. As the driver was speaking to a buddy in the backseat he turn his body at the same time turning the steering wheel with him. The car flew 270 feet and hit a tree. I believe one the boys die on impact the other was air lifted to the hospital where he was later declared deceased. This was a horrifying story that impacted so many. The victims parents, friends, family and the community mourned the loss 2 kids who had bright future along with a teen who threw away his future. The driver is now a felony who was sentence to 10 years in jail but eligible for release after 4 years. One senseless night changed the future for so many. Hearing that approximately 17,000 people die each year as a result of an alcohol related accident left feeling numb. I could have contributed to this statistic and I am so grateful that I did not. At this point in my recovery, my thought process and awareness are stronger than they have ever been. I've learned a tremendous amount about myself and my behavior. I have so much regret and remorse about where I am today. However, I have an amazing sense of gratitude about my situation and know that through hard work and dedication I will become a stronger person.
On the morning of the 17th of May 2005, Nola Walker was involved in a two vehicle motor accident. She had just dropped her son off at his new job, when she ignored a give way sign at an intersection. When the ambulance arrived the officers, Nucifora and Blake, recall Walker being “able to converse” and “orientated”. Blake conducted multiple assessments and did her vital signs twice. The results deemed Walker to be within normal ranges, with the only noticeable trauma involving superficial skin injuries on the left hand, an abrasion over the right clavicle which was assumed to be a seatbelt injury. Ms Walker denied she was ever in pain. Nucifora mentioned on several occasions that it would be best to take Walker to the hospital to be further
I read the book Head Case by Sarah Aronson. Characters Frank Marder: Frank is the main character in the book. When he is seventeen, Frank makes a poor decision to drink and drive after a party. He crashes his car and kills two people and is paralyzed from the neck down. The struggle of dealing with his paralysis is a reminder of the accident that he must learn to cope with every day.
At the Muncie police department victim advocacy, I have increased my ability of communication in a few different ways. The first way that I have increased my communication skills is in the writing area. The way that I have increased my writing skills is by writing briefs about the police reports that come in to the office. The police reports that come in the victim advocate officer are ones that deal with people who have been victimized (battery, domestic violence, or threats of harm). The reason why I write briefs about this is because they have to be put into a police outreach system where letters are sent out to the victim offering the services of the victim advocate office. These briefs have taught me to provide as much information as possible
How and Why the U.S. Supreme Court developed the law governing the use of “Victim Impact Statements” (VIS)?
Other Variables: Gender and Political Affiliation Lastly, we examined the effects of the participant’s gender and political attitudes. Each factor was treated as a fourth independent variable in an ANOVA. There were no main effects but a significant interaction was observed between the independent variables being jury gender, the race of the victim, perspective taking and victim impact statements and the dependent variable being the empathy for the defendant with F(1,107) = 6.879, p = 0.010.
In Canada, crime is measured using a combination of both police and victim-reported information. Statistics Canada presents surveys to criminologists to analyze the data of criminalization and victimization to determine understand criminal behaviour, how the public perceives it, and how to prevent it. Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (UCR) intended to standardize the collection of police-reported crime statistics from across Canada. Figures generated by UCR are less than perfect, due to variations in the grey lines of recording and interpreting crime between different police. (Cartwright, 2015) The General Social Survey (GSS) was implemented later as a broad social survey to poll for crimes not reported to police. This was because Statistics
At Ten P.m on September 23, 2006, my mother Kelli Elizabeth Dicks was hit by a car on Route 146 southbound trying to cross the high speed lane. She was being picked up by a friend. Instead of taking the exit and coming to the other side of the highway, her ride suggested she run across the street. The impact of the car caused her to be thrown 87 feet away from the original impact zone and land in a grassy patch of land, her shoes stayed where she was hit. She was immediately rushed to Rhode Island Hospital where she was treated for serious injuries. When she arrived at the hospital she was rushed into the operating room for an emergency surgery. The amount of injuries she sustained were unbelievable. She broke 18 different bones, lacerated her liver and her spleen, ruptured her bladder, and she collapsed both lungs. When she went in for her emergency operation, and had her
Lisa Genova’s Left Neglected examines the shock of a substantial brain injury on a woman whose mind never stops running. Sarah Nickerson suffers from hemispatial neglect syndrome, which resulted from a severe car accident. Throughout this analysis, I will consider how Sarah’s life after her injury differs from her past, identify the major themes presented by Genova that coincide with Sarah’s trauma, and reflect on how Sarah’s account of brain injury changed my understanding of brain function, injury, and recovery.
Umbreit, M. & Bradshaw, W. & Coates, R. (1994) Victims of severe violence meet the offender: restorative justice through dialogue. International Review of Victimology, 6, p321-344.
Discuss the nature of victim participation in the criminal justice process. Provide your assessment on the adequacy of this participation.
Elias, R. (1986). Rising Stars: Victims and Victimology. The Politics of Victimization: Victims, Victimology and Human Rights. New York. Oxford University Press, 9-26.
Jennifer is a 9 year old child who was injured while riding her bicycle. She was hit by a car and suffered several broken bones and traumatic brain injury. While her bones healed, she suffered bruising to her brain. This bruising also caused swelling and damage to her brain. When Jennifer was released from the hospital, she has difficulties speaking, walking, and completing tasks that used to come easily to her.
Over the years, the traditional criminal justice system has emphasized offenders’ accountability through punishment and stigmatization. The emphasis on the retributive philosophy made it challenging for the system to meaningfully assist and empower crime victims. In the criminal justice system, victims often face insensitive treatment with little or no opportunity for input into the perseverance of their case and report feeling voiceless in the process used (Choi, Gilbert, & Green, 2013:114). Crime Victims, advocates, and practitioners have called for an expansion of victims’ rights and community-based alternatives rather than punishment-orientated justice policies. What victims want from the criminal justice system is a less formal process, more information about case processing, respectful treatment, and emotional restoration. Therefore, there is a growing need to progress towards the restorative justice (RJ) system.
From the origins of criminal victimization, we begin with blaming the offended. (Silverii). Still what is more baffling is to question whether or not it is one's duty to make sure victims won't be victimized again or if victims of a crime that are unreported should even be considered victims. There are three main issues that are provided through victimology and these are context, connections, and investigative direction (Turvey). Most victims are not just victims they're perceived by a criminal as an ideal victim. An ‘ideal victim’ is someone who has played no part in their victimization by an offender who was solely responsible for the incident. In the early 1970s, research by the National Opinion Research Center and the President's Commission on Law Enforcement, and the Administration of Justice indicated that many crimes were not reported to police. A lot of times victims are not prepared for the insensitive and unpleasant treatment they may incur from the police, hospitals, and judicial system. In response, the U.S. Census Bureau began conducting the annual National Crime Victimization Survey in 1973. The survey provides the largest national forum for victims to describe the impact of crime and characteristics of violent offenders. The data includes type of crime, month, time, and location of the crime; relationship between victim and offender; characteristics of the offender; self-protective actions taken by the victim during the incident and results of those actions; consequences of the victimization; type of property lost; whether the crime was reported to the police and reasons for reporting or not reporting; and offender use of weapons, drugs, and alcohol.
...mmunity involvement in justice and to provide on-site support services for victims (Hall 2010, p. 196). Although reforms to prevent crime have been increasingly influenced by victims, they are still widely recognised as neglected parties in the criminal system, mainly during the prosecution and sentencing of offenders (Strang, Heather, Lawrence W. Sherman 2003).