NVAA 2000 Text

Chapter 12 Supplement Homicide


Statistical Overview

Promising Practices

In an endeavor to break the cycle of violence and pathology resulting from unresolved grief in relation to sudden and traumatic loss in an underserved population, Recover has placed a high priority on empowering grieving children to cope with their anger and distress following a traumatic death. Recover staff inquire if there are children who will be affected by the death, and offer to meet with the parents or caregivers to discuss how to best help children cope with the death of a loved one.

During the initial counseling process, staff assess the nature of the relationships with the deceased and the degree to which the death poses risks to the overall stability of the family. A Recover grief counselor/licensed therapist is on hand at the medical examiner's office daily to speak with families as they arrive to identify their lost loved ones. Free follow-up counseling is available at the Recover facility in the District. Since the debut of the program on November 1, 1999, staff have offered on-site and off-site counseling to families in connection with 850 traumatic deaths, including 145 homicides. Recover: Support for Survivors of Sudden and Traumatic Deaths, 730 11th Street NW, Washington DC 20001 (202-624-0010) (O'Brien 5 May 2000).

GAP also has developed a working relationship with certain funeral homes in Philadelphia through a program called Jumpstart, in which funeral homes create support groups for families who have suffered the loss of a loved one through a traumatic death. The Grief Assistance Program, Inc., Philadelphia Medical Examiner's, 321 University Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143 (215-685-7411) (Williams 6 May 2000).

Chapter 12 Supplement References


American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI). January 2000. Prosecutor's Guide to Victim/Witness Assistance, draft. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime.

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). January 1999. Homicide Trends in the United States, Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 17 October 1999. Crime in the United States, Uniform Crime Reports, 1998. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ). September 1999. Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

O'Brien, K. 5 May 2000. Interview with Kevin O'Brien, Program Director, Recover: Support for Survivors of Sudden and Traumatic Deaths, Washington, DC.

Williams, C. 6 May 2000. Interview with Christina Williams, Program Director, Grief Assistance Program, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

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2000 NVAA Text
Chapter 12
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