Re- contacting crime victims Police department of Leuven

Community policeYouth and Social Section

By Valerie Vermaete

Why

o Circular GPI 58 Police aid to victims Tasks: relief, practical assistance, information supply + reference, reporting the offence, re-contacting the victims

o Circular Col 3 and 4 (domestic violence) Disturbing files

o At request of the public prosecutor (domestic violence) Re-contacting immediately after the facts + one month after the facts

Aim:

1.Receiving additional information concerning the file

2.Give the state of affairs and further development of the

investigation

3.Give prevention tips in order to avoid repetition

4.Active reference to assistance when desired

Procedure

Selection by LIK (Local Information Crossroads)

WINP (Community inspector) / Social consultant

- Control by ISLP (Informatics System of Local Police)

- Write out assignment

- Preparation of the file- Contacting the victim

House call / by telephone- Feedback form- If necessary:

Make a following report of the offence or contact the author

Community head- Subsequent discussion by means of

a feedback form - Feedback to Youth and Social

Section or Prevention Section

Aim 1 => Information

ASK• Condition of the victim?• Any new facts / information?• Sufficient support?

GIVE• Acknowledgment of the victim• Frame the process of processing• Let the victim know that the WINP (Community inspector) is informed• Run through the co-ordinates of the police together

Aim 2 => Development investigation

o Interrogation of the victim / interrogation of the suspect

o Explain first investigation acts

o Final decision is the public prosecutor’s/examining magistrate’s

o Feedback via victim relief of the public prosecutor

o Attitude of police and public prosecutor towards domestic violence:

- Report the offence officially- Nuances: find the cause, disapprove, prosecute,

assistance in order to prevent repetition

Aim 3 => Prevention tips

• Breaking in => Reference to techno-preventative advisor

• Stalking => BASTA ( Protective Anti-Stalking Alarm),

keeping a diary...

• Cunning theft => Practical advice

• Domestic violence => Adult: Action plan + CAW (centre for general welfare work) - Pointing out parents to the impact of

violence on children (witness / direct victim) - Signal to the police

Aim 4 => Reference

1.Assistance => Social Guidebook

- Financial support / Emergency housing: OCMW (Public Centre for Social Welfare)

- Psychological welfare: CAW (Centre for General Welfare Work), JAC (Youth Advisory Centre), CGGZ (Centre for Mental Healthcare)

- Judiciary: SOP (Victim Relief of the Public Prosecutor), House of Justice, justice of the peace court

Aim 4 => Reference

2. Police sections => WINP (Community inspector), APZ (Department Police Care), JSD

(Youth and Social Section), BRD (Special Investigation Service)

3. Child protection => Committee Special Youth Care (voluntariness)

Mediation Commission Juvenile court (obligatory)

Numbers 2005 - 2006Evolutie 2005-2009

236

450470

166

243

330348

240

461

89

200

455

60

240

290

394

82

241

438

361

512

105120109

560

100

200

300

400

500

600

JSD

Hev

K-Lo

W-C

W-W

JSD 200 236 450 470 455

Hev 60 166 243 330 240

K-Lo 82 241 348 394 290

W-C 240 461 361 512 438

W-W 56 109 120 105 89

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Numbers police department of Leuven 2009• 1512 re-contacts => 17% less than in 2008 (1811)

Verdeling van de HC-thema's 2009

IFG: 855 58%

G-diefstal: 215 14%

Ander: 188 12%

Steaming: 7 0%

Inbraak: 247 16%

Terminology

• Police: Intervention Section, community inspectors, detectives, social consultants

• Assistance: CAW (Centre for general welfare work), Child and Family, CGGZ (Centre for Mental Healthcare)

• Office of the public prosecutor: substitute, victim relief of the public prosecutor, judge