Upload
others
View
4
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Victim‐Centered Interviewing
JAMES E. HENDERSON JR . MSW, CAC ‐R
BATTERED WOMEN’S JUSTICE PROJECT
FEBRUARY 23, 2016 WEBINAR
Disclaimer This project was supported by grant no. 2013‐TA‐AX‐K012 awarded by the Office on Violence against Women, U.S. Department of justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this (document/program/exhibit) are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence against Women.
Objectives
Identify how the system enhances or impedes ones’ ability to manage trauma
Describe ways to enhance victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system
Create palatable ways of communicating with those victimized by violence that are safe and productive
Objectives, cont.
Assess methods of incorporating community partners in the management of offenders and the autonomy of victims
Facilitate ways to safely and legally release information that enhances safety and accountability
Victim‐Centered Interviewing within Corrections
Social Workers May Experience Post‐Traumatic Stress
Hearing the stories of trauma victims doubles our risk of experiencing post‐traumatic stress disorder.
PTSD characterized by symptoms of repeated and unwanted memories of the event, avoidance responses such as emotional numbness, and so‐called arousal responses such as hypervigilance or difficulty concentrating.
Bride’s study found 55% of those surveyed met 1 diagnostic criteria, 20% met 2, and 15% met 3.
Warning Signs of Trauma Exposure
Feeling helpless and hopeless
A sense that one can never do enough
Diminished creativity
Inability to embrace complexity
Minimizing, inability to empathize
Chronic exhaustion/physical ailments
Inability to listen/deliberate avoidance
Anger and cynicism, addiction
Grandiosity, an inflated sense of importance related to ones work
University of Georgia StudyHe surveyed nearly 300 practicing social workers in fields such as mental health and substance abuse, health care, child welfare and school social work and found that:
40 percent thought about their work with traumatized clients without intending to
22 percent reported feeling detached from others
26 percent felt emotionally numb
28 percent had a sense of foreshortened future
27 percent reported irritability
28 percent reported concentration difficulties
Moving Past Trauma
Why am I doing what I’m doing?
Is this working for me?
Where am I putting my focus?
Create a micro culture
Practice compassion for myself and ALLothers
Gratitude
NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006Victim Satisfaction with the Criminal Justice System
118 women tracked for 1 year
49% admitted that they had been re‐victimized
22% reported the incident
More likely to report less serious offenses
For individuals who experienced ongoing abuse, reporting this latest incident may be viewed as useless ritualism.
NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006Victim Satisfaction with the Criminal Justice System
Victims of DV wanted to:
Enhance their own safety
Maintain economic viability
Protect their children
Have an opportunity to force the abuser into a BIP
Common Variables in Satisfied Cases
Incidents were less serious
Offenders were less dangerous
The victim felt some control over the court
Reported less violence in her past
Felt control over ending the violence
Felt control over the offenders future conduct
NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006
Historical Role of Probation
Evaluate data obtained in interviews and investigation
Formulate a plan of action for rehabilitation of the defendant
Make recommendations to the court for appropriate sanctions
Problems with Historical Role
Victim is expected to be an informant
Victim disclosure/monitoring becomes part of the rehabilitation plan
Recommendations to the court might be seen or experienced as dependent upon victim statements
Problems with Historical Role
Forces victim to once again relive in exact details of the traumatic experiences
Places responsibility on the victim for consequences imposed on the batterer
Fails to send the message that domestic violence is a crime that the community does not tolerate
Strategies for Victim Contact
Send contact letter: How to contact agent Conditions of No Contact Order Conditions of probation Request for multiple contact methods
IS THIS GOOD ENOUGH?
Strategies for Victim Contact
Who has had an opportunity to collect victim contact info?
Verify what times, places, and phone #’s can I safely utilize? (Should probation have a flex schedule to accommodate victims?)
Preference for face‐to‐face contacts? (Am I the person who should be doing this interview?)
Interview Preparation
Work with victim advocates.
Governmental advocates are often able to assist with communicating effectively with victims and can offer updated victim contact information.
Community‐based advocates are often able to train our network of partners on effective communication and safety planning.
During the First Victim Contact
Reiterate confidentiality issues, get needed releases
Review cost & benefits of a civil restraining order
Discuss limits of supervision and agents role
Provide culturally relevant resources
Inform what offenders have and will be told
Discuss safety planning
Domestic Violence Information Form
The judges of Washtenaw County want to ensure that all individuals victimized by domestic violence can meet with domestic violence probation officers, soon after a conviction is entered. The court wants to provide you with information to increase your safety, and gain information to help make effective recommendations. However, you should be aware that these court officers and are required to share their information with the court. You are not required to share information with them, especially if you believe that such information may endanger you. Any information you share today could and will be documented in a pre‐sentence report. This report is made available to probation, attorney(s) in the case, judges and batterer intervention agencies. The defendant is also entitled to see this report.
Domestic Violence Information Form
If you have concerns that you prefer not to share with the court, we encourage you to speak with Domestic Violence Project/SAFE House Center at: (734) 995‐5444. Any information you offer to SAFE House Center is held in strict confidence and will not be shared with the court or anyone outside that agency without your permission.
Today’s Meeting Will Cover:
Your rights under the law
What the court and intervention providers can and cannot do
Probation’s role
Safety planning
Restitution assessment
History of defendant’s abuse
Lethality/risk assessment of defendant
No contact order assessment
DVP/SAFE House services and other community resources
Your recommendations
Any other issues you care to discuss
Domestic Violence Information Form
The judges review cases of domestic violence throughout the term of probation to make sure the defendant is complying. A probation officer will attempt to contact you before each court review hearing to check on your safety and see if you have any concerns the court should address. You may call the probation officer at: 734‐###‐#### to share your concerns. Often times a SAFE House Center advocate is also in court and can tell you the outcome of the court review.
Domestic Violence Information Form
Structure Matters
Set the sheet down
Let the interviewee control the beginning of the interview
Check off what has been discussed
Cover missed topics
Always end with the victim being in control
Goals for Interviews of Those Victimized by Violence
Intervene in a way that will be positive and safe for all family members
Support autonomy and self sufficiency
Develop confidence that the criminal justice system will hold batterer accountable
Getting Ready
A person does not have to earn the right to not be hit or abused
Universally screen for domestic violence in all pre‐sentence reports
Have safety planning and community resource handouts available
Getting Started
Questions can have more than one purpose:
Gather information/provide education
“Has _____ ever used being drunk or high as an excuse when they hurt you?” Rather than: “Is the abuser ever drunk or high when they hurt you?”
Getting Started
Phrase questions to give permission to talk and create a safe environment
How can I be helpful to you?
I’m glad you chose to meet with me today. Where would you like to start?
Is there anything else that you were hoping we would discuss that we haven’t?
Please, take your time.
Getting Started
Provide information about the criminal justice systemDiscuss confidentialityIdentify what the system can/cannot doHelp individuals to understand procedures and rationaleHelp individuals access the system and community resources.
Begin with less intrusive questions and normalize.
Incorporate Motivational Interviewing
Express empathy Roll with resistance Develop discrepancy Support self-efficacy
Walters et al.,2007
Motivational Interviewing Techniques
Ask open ended questions
Affirm positive talk and behavior
Reflect what you are hearing and seeing
Have the individual summarize what has been said, and their strengths.
During Interview
Listen for lethality risks
Convey that there is no justification or excuse for choices to abuse
Acknowledge power and control tactics as abusive
During Interview
Give examples of how control is demonstrated
Identify criminal behaviors
Validate, respect, listen, acknowledge strength
Openers & Qualifiers
Many of the men….
A lot of women have told me….
Often when this happens….
It has been my experience….
Research indicates….
Sometimes we see….
Often we see….
Avoid…
Telling the victim what to do
Joining in victim justification of abuser’sbehavior
Criticizing batterer
Classifying individual as a victim/survivor
Victim‐blaming
Avoid saying...
You need to….
You should….
You must….
If I were you, I would….
Ending Interview
Identify support systems
Work through a safety plan
Acknowledge expertise of victim advocates
Ending Interview
Look for ways to link individuals to additional community resources
Offer to work as a liaison between victim and community resources
Always ask, “what can we do to help make you safer?”
Change Takes Resources
“Tradition is what you resort to when you don’t have the time or money to do it right. ”
-Kurt Herbert Adler
Thank you!
James E. Henderson Jr. MSW, CAC‐R
Battered Women's Justice Project
1801 Nicollet Ave South, Suite 102, Minneapolis, MN 55403
p 800‐903‐0111, ext. 1
[email protected] or [email protected]
Phone (517) 414‐7302 Fax (517) 522‐8521