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Slide 1 Providing an effective and responsive service to individuals and communities impacted by crime and victimisation Victim-centric Policing (Introduce content)
Slide 1
Providing an effective and responsive service to individuals and communities impacted by crime and victimisation
Victim-centric Policing
(Introduce content)
Slide 2
Overview
Today’s presentation will cover -
• Role of the Victims Advisory Unit (VAU)• Evolution of ‘the victim’• Victim-centric policing practice• Victoria Police Victim-centric Service Delivery Strategy (VCSDS)• Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) System• Co-located Victim Assistance Program• Victim-centric Portfolio Holders (VCPH)• Future directions
(Overview)
Slide 3
Victoria Police – Victims Advisory Unit
The Victims Advisory Unit (VAU) is a multidisciplinary team that provides a consistent and coordinated response to issues related to victims of crime and those in need of assistance.
Victim-centric Service Delivery
Strategy
Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR)
System
Co-located Victim Assistance
Program (VAP)
Victim-centric Portfolio Holders
(Victims Advisory Unit) The Victims Advisory Unit (VAU) represents a specialised unit within a police organisation that provides a consistent and coordinated response to issues related to victims of crime and those in need of assistance. Key functions of the unit include –
• Implementation of the Victoria Police Victim-centric Service Delivery Strategy • Management of the Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) system • Coordination of the Co-located Victim Assistance Program (VAP) at Police Stations • Introduction of Victim-Centric Portfolio Holders throughout the state
The VAU performs an important role in –
• supporting frontline police, • working strategically to address issues affecting operational practice, and • enhancing service delivery to the community.
Slide 4
The evolution of ‘the victim’
(The evolution of ‘the victim’) Police are increasingly being called upon to assist individuals and communities in matters that are not necessarily criminal in nature. As such, traditional definitions of ‘victim’ may now be considered too narrow for policing activities. Given the breadth of policing responsibilities it would not be unreasonable to expect that police may be required to support victims of natural disasters or accidents, whereby their policing powers are used as a means to contain, protect and support. Further there is a community expectation that police would (and do) assist in a situation where an individual is threatening self-harm. The act would not fall into the category of a criminal act, but it is reasonable to expect that police would respond and act in order to protect life. In response, to this Victoria Police has adopted a victim-centric approach to its policing activities.
Slide 5
Victim-centric Policing Practice
Victim-centric policing recognises that victims and those in need of
assistance are central to policing practice.
Uphold and reinforce human
rights
Deliver services in a respectful and
courteous manner
Provide support in a responsive and
client focused manner
Provide timely information
Minimise secondary
victimisation
(Victim-centric Policing Practice) Victoria Police strives to deliver service excellence and is committed to -
• reducing victimisation • enhancing services for those in need of assistance and; • building community confidence and trust.
This is achieved by adopting a victim-centric approach to policing. Victim centric policing recognises that victims and those in need of assistance are central to policing practice. It seeks to –
• Uphold and reinforce human rights • Effectively deliver services in a respectful and courteous manner • Provide support in a responsive and client focused manner • Provide timely information of the investigation and prosecution processes • Minimise secondary victimisation.
Frontline police members are in a unique position because they are usually the first point of contact for those impacted by crime. They provide a gateway to the criminal justice system and can potentially intervene early to prevent crime, and where crime does occurs, to minimise associated harm. Specifically for victims, police officers can provide appropriate information and support associated with the investigation and prosecution processes to minimise the risk of further trauma or secondary victimisation. Police can also refer victims and others in need of assistance to a relevant support service. This contributes to the goal of reducing victimisation in the first instance, while lessening the adverse effects of victimisation on the broader community.
The implementation of a victim-centric philosophy within policing requires a rethinking of police organisational structures and processes. The creation of new organisational symbolism in plans, documentation and actions is regarded as key to successful implementation. Executive leadership teams within policing organisations need to establish solid symbols of support for victims that leave frontline members in no doubt as to what is required. In recognition of this Victoria Police developed and implemented the Victim-centric Service Delivery Strategy . . .
Slide 6
Victoria Police Victim-centric Service Delivery Strategy (VCSDS)
(Victim-Centric Service Delivery Strategy) . . . which was launched by the Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton in 2015. Highlighted as a key initiative in the Victorian Government’s Community Safety Statement 2017, the Strategy includes –
• the development of victim-centric policing principles of practice and; • establishing referral pathways for victims and those in need of assistance into
early intervention and support service streams The Strategy also involves embedding victim-centric practice into organisational planning, education and training programs. Continued monitoring and evaluation processes will ensure that this approach is being effectively implemented and new reporting mechanisms will strengthen accountability.
Slide 7
VCSDS - Priorities & Programs
• Victims Assistance Program (VAP) co-located at Police Stations
Increase opportunities to empower victims
• Victoria Police Victim-centric Portfolio Holders (VCPH)
Raise the organisational focus on victims and those in need of assistance
• Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) System
Streamline the process for referring victims and those in need of assistance
(VCSDS – Priorities and Programs) Key priorities of the Strategy and associated programs include –
• Increasing opportunities to empower victims – through the expansion of the Victim Assistance Program at police stations and specialist squads
• Raising the organisational focus on victims and those in need of assistance – by utilising our network of Victim-Centric Portfolio Holders
• Streamlining the process for referring victims and those in need of assistance to support – through the Victoria Police eReferral System
Slide 8
Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) System
(Victoria Police e-Referral [VPeR] System) The VPeR system is utilised for consent-based, non-crisis and non-family violence referrals. It enables police members, as the first point of contact, to refer victims and those in need of assistance to a range of appropriate social support and welfare services in a streamline and efficient manner.
Slide 9
Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) System
+91,000referrals
Court Support Youth
Support
Dispute Settlement
Griefline
Support After
Suicide
Home & Community
Care
ChildFirst
Turning Point
Road Trauma Support
Victim Support Agency
Centrelink
Victorian Legal Aid
Disability Support
Monash Health
Gamblers Help
(Victoria Police e-Referral [VPeR] System) It was implemented on the 1st of October in 2014 and since then over 91,000 referrals have been made to 150 individual support agencies. It was embedded within the existing Victoria Police IT infrastructure in order to provide police members with a familiar look and feel; this helped to promote its use.
Slide 10
Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) System
(Victoria Police e-Referral [VPeR] System) Frontline police referrals assist in early intervention and contribute to harm reduction. When the support agency makes assertive contact with the referred person – it enables that person to access support and treatment programs that they would not have otherwise sought.
Slide 11
Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) System
Aged Support ATSI Support DisabilityDispute
SettlementLegal Advice
Court SupportAlcohol
Misuse or Dependency
Financial Support
GamblingSupport After
Suicide
Road Trauma Support
Non-suspicious
Death
Drug Misuse or
DependencyVictim Support Mental Health
Parenting Support
Youth Support Family /Child
VPeR includes 18 referral pathways
(Victoria Police e-Referral [VPeR] System) There are 18 referral pathways on VPeR and the type of people referred can include –
• victims of crime, • offenders, • witnesses, and • people deemed by police to be in need of assistance or at risk of entering the
criminal justice system.
Slide 12
Victoria Police eReferral (VPeR) System
(Victoria Police e-Referral [VPeR] System) VPeR represents a whole-of-government approach to supporting victims and those in need of assistance. An important aspect of VPeR is the Governance structure which includes MOUs between police and the Departments funding the agencies and, LOUs between police and the funded service providers. Regular stakeholder meetings occur with departments to ensure system improvements and strategic development, while meetings with program managers look at return data and focus on police operational issues regarding things like;
• the appropriateness of referrals - whether the referral meets the criteria of the agency and,
• the information provided to the agency in the narrative – whether it includes enough relevant information about the referred person for the agency to make the call.
Slide 13
What are people saying about VPeR?
“ I needed this service last weekend,
and I was treated with compassion
and empathy. This service is
absolutely vital.”
- Victim
“I have worked in mental health for the
past ten years and understand the gaps in
services and the value of this type of
service. And how a brief intervention such
as this can not only make a difference and
keep a person out of hospital but can save
lives.”
- Mental Health Professional
“Outreach services like this are
so important in reaching out to
people who may not otherwise
get the help they so desperately
need. Thank you Victoria Police
for your passion and drive in
delivering and fighting for this
service.”
- Outreach Worker
(What are people saying about VPeR?) This slide provides a sample of the type of feedback that the VAU has received about VPeR – “I needed this service last weekend, and I was treated with compassion and empathy. This service is absolutely vital.” - Victim “I have worked in mental health for the past ten years and understand the gaps in services and the value of this type of service. And how a brief intervention such as this can not only make a difference and keep a person out of hospital but can save lives.” - Mental Health Professional “Outreach services like this are so important in reaching out to people who may not otherwise get the help they so desperately need. Thank you Victoria Police for your passion and drive in delivering and fighting for this service.” - Outreach Worker
Slide 14
VPeR - Victim Support Pathway
Police contact >
VPeR referral
Victims of Crime Helpline
(central) >
Professional triage
Victim Assistance Program
(state-wide) >
Victim support
(VPeR – Victim Support Pathway) I will now explain the process of a victim referral -
• Police have contact with a victim - they receive consent to make a referral. • The VPeR system automatically routes all referrals under the ‘victim’ pathway to
the Victims Support Agency Helpline staff within the Department of Justice and Regulation who provide a professional triage role.
• If the referral is deemed appropriate, the Victim Support Agency will then on-refer to the Victims Assistance Program for case management support.
Slide 15
VPeR - Victim Support Pathway
Needs of victims -
• Support• Financial assistance• Safety• Rights and entitlements• Information about the investigation and prosecution• Court information• Victim Impact Statement assistance• Information about the offender
(VPeR – Victim Support Pathway) The VAP staff role is to address the needs of individual victims and provide services including case management, practical support, advocacy, legal advice and counselling. In 2010 Victoria Police, in partnership with the Victim Support Agency, piloted the VAP Co-location at Police Stations.
Slide 16
Victims Assistance Program (VAP) Co-location in Police Stations
(Victims Assistance Program [VAP] Co-location in Police Stations) VAP staff are now co-located at 26 designated police stations across Victoria as well as 2 specialist police squads; Crime Command and the Major Collision Investigation Unit. Having the VAP staff available at the stations enhances the police operational understanding and focus on supporting victims. It also provides a more timely response by police and victim services and addresses their diverse needs such as the preparation of Victim Impact Statements and support during the court process.
Slide 17
Victims Assistance Program (VAP) Co-location in Police Stations
(Victims Assistance Program [VAP] Co-location in Police Stations) Police and VAP staff at co-location sites describe the partnership as; “very professional”, “very solid”; and stated that VAP staff members have, “helped to create a victim-centric culture around the station”. At one location, where victims were being referred from serious crimes such as home invasions, car jackings and assaults, a police member commented;
Slide 18
“These are very traumatised victims and
being able to refer them on at the earliest
possible moment to be supported,
provides great peace of mind for police.”
- Senior Sergeant Reinke
Victims Assistance Program (VAP) Co-location in Police Stations
(Victims Assistance Program [VAP] Co-location in Police Stations) “These are very traumatised victims and being able to refer them on - at the earliest possible moment to be supported, provides great peace of mind for police.”
Slide 19
Victims Assistance Program (VAP) Co-location in Police Stations
(Victims Assistance Program [VAP] Co-location in Police Stations) This initiative grew out of the strong focus by police on victim-centric service delivery and is now a successful example of our strong partnership with victim services, and, we are now working together to embed the program at additional stations across Victoria.
Slide 20
Fostering cultural change
(Fostering Cultural Change) Effective victim support and management mechanisms will always be influenced by police culture. The issue of police culture is especially important to victim-centric policing as the organisational culture impacts not only on its direction in relation to addressing the underlying issues of victimisation, but also significantly impacts the manner in which frontline police interact with members of the community. As the majority of police work is undertaken beyond the public view, person-to-person interactions play a vital role in the overall public perception of police and the willingness of victims to report crime and cooperate with the broader criminal justice system. This being the case, the provision of a high quality policing service to victims, and the community in general, is essential to creating and maintaining police confidence. In response to this, Victoria Police introduced the Victim-centric Portfolio Holder Role. The program was introduced in in September 2015, and now has over 400 operational members performing the role. Victim-centric Portfolio Holders ‘champion’ the importance of victim-centric policing. Their role includes -
• providing members with resources to ensure their stations are using best practice methods in victim management
• assisting and encouraging police with their eReferrals, and • supporting implementation of the Victim-Centric Service Delivery Strategy
Slide 21
Future directions
Additional referral pathways
to enhance the VPeR System
Expansion of Co-located Victim Assistance
Program in police stations
Broader engagement with Government partners and key
stakeholders
Continued roll-out of cultural change programs
Strategy
(Future directions) Policing has a responsibility to structure itself around a mission and philosophy that prevents victimisation as well as mitigating the effects of victimisation on the individual as well as the broader community. Since the introduction of the Victoria Police Victim-centric Service Delivery Strategy, we have seen significant improvements in the services and supports delivered by Victoria Police to victims and those in need of assistance. In continuing to acknowledge the importance of providing an effective and responsive service to individuals and communities impacted by crime and victimisation, Victoria Police intend to –
• Introduce additional support pathways to enhance the electronic referral system • Expand the Co-located Victim Assistance Program into additional police stations • Continue engagement with operational members through ‘cultural change’
programs, and • Engage more broadly with Government partners and key stakeholders to enhance
outcomes for individuals and communities impacted by crime and victimisation These activities reinforce our commitment to reduce victimisation and build community confidence and trust by delivering service excellence to victims and those in need of assistance.
Slide 22
Questions and contacts
Victoria Police
Victims Advisory Unit
t: +61 3 9247 5726
Presenters:
Yasmin Green and Tina Kallifidas
Authors:
Lea Croyden, Yasmin Green and Tina Kallifidas
(Questions and contact)
