CRIME AND VICTIMIZATION
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
Hot Springs Regional Meeting
February 3-4, 2000
As hosts for this meeting, the Department of Finance and Administration, Victim Justice and Assistance Grants Office and the Office of the Attorney General, Outreach Division want to provide a constructive setting for local professionals whereby current crime and victimization issues and community responses can be assessed and goals / strategies can be established for improved conditions in the future. The long-term success of this meeting depends largely on the active participation of those who attend, as well as continued coordinated efforts at the local level in the months ahead. Therefore, participants are encouraged to include in their future plans a means to periodically revisit goals set during this meeting and adjust strategies as needed to ensure a strong network of professionals working together for their neighbors who fall victim to crime.
Likewise, we want to evaluate our success in achieving the purposes of this meeting. Feedback from participants will enable us to better serve communities in the future.
For comparison purposes, we ask that you provide us with information in two (2) phases:
Phase I asks for your individual analysis of current conditions and needs in your community. These questions should be answered absent anticipation of what the group discussions may bring. Phase I Evaluation forms will be collected following today’s opening session and will be made available to your group facilitator to ensure that issues are addressed thoroughly.
Phase II, on the other hand, solicits information related to your anticipated results of the group discussions, as well as your assessment of the meeting format, itself. This section will be collected at the conclusion of the meeting.
You are not asked to identify yourself on the evaluation forms. The evaluation packets, however, have been numbered so that the two evaluation phases can be reassembled for comparison purposes. We have not recorded what number packet you received; therefore, all responses will remain anonymous.
The topics that will be discussed during the next two days involve a variety of crime types; therefore, the evaluation questions cover the same topics. If your work brings you more in touch with one or two specific crime types, it may be that you feel unqualified to reply to questions outside of your field. Keep in mind that you are a citizen of your community, as well as a professional. Your thoughts and opinions are probably shared with other citizens in your community; therefore, your views are relevant, not only for purposes of this evaluation, but also in the group discussions, regardless of your level of professional expertise in the category.
We thank you in advance for your participation in this meeting, as well as your candid assessment of its effectiveness.
Evaluator’s Code: _____
CRIME AND VICTIMIZATION
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
Hot Springs Regional Meeting
February 3-4, 2000
PARTICIPANTSURVEY
PHASE I
(To be completed prior to group discussions)
EXISTING CONDITIONS IN YOUR COMMUNITY:
1. As a citizen and/or a representative of your field, how would you describe your community’s coordinated response to the following crime types. (Check one)
a. Child Abuse:
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
effective Effective effective effective
b. Adult Rape / Sexual Assault:
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
effective Effective effective effective
c. Spousal Abuse:
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
effective Effective effective effective
d. Other crime types, such as homicide, drunk driving, elderly abuse, hate crimes, youth violence, etc.) :
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
effective Effective effective effective
2. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for victims of child abuse?
YESNO
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
(b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
3. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for adult victims of rape/sexual assault?
YESNO
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
(b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
4. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for victims of spousal abuse?
YESNO
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
4. (b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
5. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for survivors of victims of homicide?
YESNO
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
(b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
6. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for victims of drunk driving?
YESNO
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
(b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
7. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for victims of elderly abuse?
YESNO
7. (Continued)
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
(b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
8. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for victims of youth and/or gang violence?
YESNO
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
(b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
9. (a) Does your community have special services, including activities related to the criminal justice system, available for victims of hate crimes?
YESNO
If yes, what services are available? ______
______
______
(b) Please identify services that you think should be offered in your community.
______
______
______
10. As a citizen and/or a representative of your field, how would you describe your community’s responsiveness to victims with special needs. (Check one)
a. Physically/Mentally Challenged:
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
responsive responsive Responsive responsive responsive
b. Geographically Isolated:
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
responsive responsive Responsive responsive responsive
c. Non-English Speaking:
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
responsive responsive Responsive responsive responsive
- In your opinion, what issues should be given more attention in your community regarding the following crime types? (Check all that apply)
a. Child Abuse:
Public awareness of the crime and its existence within your community.
Increased services available to victims of the crime.
Increased enforcement of laws related to the crime.
Increased prosecution of offenders of the crime.
Special consideration of the physical, ethnic and geographical obstacles that victims must overcome in order to benefit from the criminal justice system and victim services offered.
b. Adult Rape and Other Sexual Assault:
Public awareness of the crime and its existence within your community.
Increased services available to victims of the crime.
Increased enforcement of laws related to the crime.
Increased prosecution of offenders of the crime.
Special consideration of the physical, ethnic and geographical obstacles that victims must overcome in order to benefit from the criminal justice system and victim services offered.
11. (Continued)
c. Spousal Abuse:
Public awareness of the crime and its existence within your community.
Increased services available to victims of the crime.
Increased enforcement of laws related to the crime.
Increased prosecution of offenders of the crime.
Special consideration of the physical, ethnic and geographical obstacles that victims must overcome in order to benefit from the criminal justice system and victim services offered.
d. Other crime types, such as homicide, drunk driving, elderly abuse, hate crimes, youth violence, etc.) :
Public awareness of the crime and its existence within your community.
Increased services available to victims of the crime.
Increased enforcement of laws related to the crime.
Increased prosecution of offenders of the crime.
Special consideration of the physical, ethnic and geographical obstacles that victims must overcome in order to benefit from the criminal justice system and victim services offered.
12. In some communities, multidisciplinary teams (MDT) or task forces exist.
- Does your community already have a forum whereby the following crime categories can be discussed thoroughly for the purpose of working toward improved conditions?
- If yes, are you a member of the existing forum?
Member
Child Abuse:YESNO
Adult Rape/Sexual Assault:YESNO
Spousal Abuse:YESNO
Other Crime Type:YESNO
(i.e. homicide, drunk driving,
elderly abuse, hate crime, young violence, etc.)
13. What do you hope to see come out of this regional meeting?
Evaluator’s Code: _____
CRIME AND VICTIMIZATION
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
Hot Springs Regional Meeting
February 3-4, 2000
PARTICIPANTEVALUATION
PHASE II
(To be completed after group discussions)
1. Based on your group discussion, how does the future look in terms of your community’s coordinated response to the following crime types. (Check one)
a. Child Abuse:
Much Somewhat
improved Improved improved No change
Please explain: ______
______
______
______
b. Adult Rape/Sexual Assault:
Much Somewhat
improved Improved improved No change
Please explain: ______
______
______
______
c. Spousal Abuse:
Much Somewhat
improved Improved improved No change
Please explain: ______
______
______
______
d. Other crime types, such as homicide, drunk driving, elderly abuse, hate crimes, youth violence, etc.) :
Much Somewhat
improved Improved improved No change
Please explain: ______
______
______
______
2. Did you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and concerns with the other participants from your district?
YESNO
If no, why not? ______
______
______
3. Did you find the meeting facility comfortable?
YESNO
If no, why not? ______
______
- Please provide us with information regarding your overall assessment of this event.
a. Were your expectations for this meeting met?YESNO
Please explain: ______
______
______
______
b. Was attending the regional meeting a wise investment of your time? YESNO
Please explain: ______
______
______
______
c. What part(s) of the meeting did you find most beneficial?
______
______
______
d. What part(s) of the regional meeting did you find least beneficial?
______
______
______
5.Overall, how effective was this meeting at bringing various professionals to the table to discuss crime and victimization issues that are relevant to your community?
Very Somewhat Not very Not at all
effective Effective effective effective effective
- Do you believe that regional meetings should be hosted again in the future?
YESNO
7. Please provide us any additional information that you believe we should take into consideration to improve future events:
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
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