Working with, and Enhancing the Safety of Working with, and Enhancing the Safety of those Victimized by Violence, through those Victimized by Violence, through

Victim-Centered InterviewingVictim-Centered Interviewing  

James E. Henderson Jr. MSW, CAC-RJames E. Henderson Jr. MSW, CAC-R

  

88thth Annual Spring Training Annual Spring Training

Fargo, North Dakota , 5/9/13Fargo, North Dakota , 5/9/13

ObjectivesObjectives Identify how the system enhances or impedes ones Identify how the system enhances or impedes ones

ability to manage Traumaability to manage Trauma

Identify ways to enhance victim satisfaction with the Identify ways to enhance victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system.criminal justice system.

Identify palatable ways of communicating with those Identify palatable ways of communicating with those victimized by violence that are safe and productivevictimized by violence that are safe and productive

Identify ways of incorporating community partners in Identify ways of incorporating community partners in the management of offenders and the autonomy of the management of offenders and the autonomy of victimsvictims

Identify ways to safely and legally releasing Identify ways to safely and legally releasing information that enhance safety and accountabilityinformation that enhance safety and accountability

UGA study finds that social workers may indirectly UGA study finds that social workers may indirectly experience post-traumatic stressexperience post-traumatic stress

Hearing the stories of trauma victims doubles Hearing the stories of trauma victims doubles our risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress our risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.disorder.

PTSD characterized by symptoms of repeated PTSD characterized by symptoms of repeated and unwanted memories of the event, and unwanted memories of the event, avoidance responses such as emotional avoidance responses such as emotional numbness, and so-called arousal responses such numbness, and so-called arousal responses such as hypervigilance or difficulty concentrating. as hypervigilance or difficulty concentrating.

Bride’s study found 55% of those surveyed met Bride’s study found 55% of those surveyed met 1 diagnostic criteria, 20% met 2, and 15% met 3 1 diagnostic criteria, 20% met 2, and 15% met 3

Warning Signs of Trauma ExposureWarning Signs of Trauma Exposure

Feeling helpless and hopelessFeeling helpless and hopeless A sense that one can never do enoughA sense that one can never do enough Diminished creativityDiminished creativity Inability to embrace complexityInability to embrace complexity Minimizing, Inability to EmpathizeMinimizing, Inability to Empathize Chronic exhaustion/Physical AilmentsChronic exhaustion/Physical Ailments Inability to listen/deliberate avoidanceInability to listen/deliberate avoidance Anger and cynicism, AddictionAnger and cynicism, Addiction Grandiosity, An inflated sense of importance Grandiosity, An inflated sense of importance

related to ones work.related to ones work.

UGA study finds that social workers may indirectly UGA study finds that social workers may indirectly experience post-traumatic stressexperience post-traumatic stress

He surveyed nearly 300 practicing social workers He surveyed nearly 300 practicing social workers in fields such as mental health and substance in fields such as mental health and substance abuse, health care, child welfare and school social abuse, health care, child welfare and school social work and found that: work and found that:

· 40 percent thought about their work with · 40 percent thought about their work with traumatized clients without intending totraumatized clients without intending to

· 22 percent reported feeling detached from others· 22 percent reported feeling detached from others · 26 percent felt emotionally numb· 26 percent felt emotionally numb · 28 percent had a sense of foreshortened future· 28 percent had a sense of foreshortened future · 27 percent reported irritability · 27 percent reported irritability · 28 percent reported concentration difficulties· 28 percent reported concentration difficulties

Moving past TraumaMoving past Trauma

Why am I doing what I’m doing?Why am I doing what I’m doing? Is this Working for me?Is this Working for me? Where am I putting my focus?Where am I putting my focus? Create a Micro cultureCreate a Micro culture Practice Compassion for myself and Practice Compassion for myself and

ALLALL others others GratitudeGratitude

Adapted from Washtenaw County JODI Mission StatementAdapted from Washtenaw County JODI Mission Statement

Misdemeanor Courts, Misdemeanor Courts, Probation, Probation, Police, Police, Prosecutors, Prosecutors, Defense Counsel, Defense Counsel, SAFE House,SAFE House,BIPsBIPsCounty AdministrationCounty AdministrationCity of Ann Arbor City of Ann Arbor and other and other members of the members of the community community collaborate to:collaborate to:

Our Mission, Our Mission,

Should You Choose to Accept It…Should You Choose to Accept It…

Maximize the safety of those victimized byMaximize the safety of those victimized by the violence;the violence; End community tolerance of domestic End community tolerance of domestic violence;violence; Hold offenders accountable for their Hold offenders accountable for their violence and abuse; violence and abuse; Ensure fair and equitable treatment in theEnsure fair and equitable treatment in the criminal justice system for persons criminal justice system for persons affected by affected by domestic violence.domestic violence.

NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006Victim Satisfaction With the Criminal Justice SystemVictim Satisfaction With the Criminal Justice System

118 women tracked for 1 year118 women tracked for 1 year 49% admitted that had been re 49% admitted that had been re

victimizedvictimized 22% reported the incident22% reported the incident More likely to report less serious More likely to report less serious

offensesoffenses For individuals who experienced ongoing For individuals who experienced ongoing

abuse, reporting this latest incident may abuse, reporting this latest incident may be viewed as useless ritualism.be viewed as useless ritualism.

NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006Victim Satisfaction with the Criminal Justice SystemVictim Satisfaction with the Criminal Justice System

Victims of DV wanted toVictims of DV wanted to:: Enhance their own safety, Enhance their own safety, Maintain economic viability, Maintain economic viability, Protect their children, Protect their children, Have an opportunity to force the Have an opportunity to force the

abuser into a BIPabuser into a BIP

NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006NIJ Journal No. 253 Jan 2006Victim Satisfaction With the Criminal Justice SystemVictim Satisfaction With the Criminal Justice System

6 Common variables in satisfied cases6 Common variables in satisfied cases Incidents were less seriousIncidents were less serious Offenders were less dangerousOffenders were less dangerous The victim felt some control over the The victim felt some control over the

courtcourt Reported less violence in her pastReported less violence in her past Felt control over ending the violenceFelt control over ending the violence Felt control over her offenders future Felt control over her offenders future

conductconduct

HISTORICAL ROLE OF HISTORICAL ROLE OF PROBATIONPROBATION

Evaluate data obtained in interviews Evaluate data obtained in interviews and investigationand investigation

Formulate a plan of action for Formulate a plan of action for rehabilitation of the defendantrehabilitation of the defendant

Make recommendations to the court Make recommendations to the court for appropriate sanctionsfor appropriate sanctions

PROBLEMS WITH PROBLEMS WITH HISTORICAL ROLEHISTORICAL ROLE

Victim is expected to be an informantVictim is expected to be an informant

Victim disclosure/monitoring becomes part of Victim disclosure/monitoring becomes part of the rehabilitation planthe rehabilitation plan

Recommendations to the court might be seen Recommendations to the court might be seen or experienced as dependant upon victim or experienced as dependant upon victim statementsstatements

PROBLEMS WITH PROBLEMS WITH HISTORICAL ROLEHISTORICAL ROLE

Forces victim to once again relive in exact details Forces victim to once again relive in exact details of the traumatic experiencesof the traumatic experiences

Places responsibility on the victim for Places responsibility on the victim for consequences imposed on the battererconsequences imposed on the batterer

Fails to send the message that domestic Fails to send the message that domestic violence is a crime that the community does not violence is a crime that the community does not toleratetolerate

INCREASED RISK TO INCREASED RISK TO BATTERED WOMENBATTERED WOMEN

Future beatingsFuture beatings Retaliation – Retaliation –

Home/WorkHome/Work

o Involving other systemsInvolving other systems Child Protective ServicesChild Protective Services WelfareWelfare ImmigrationImmigration Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement

• 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

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?

• Preference for face to face contacts

During the First Victim Contact Reiterate confidentiality issuesReiterate confidentiality issues

Review cost & benefits of a civil Restraining Review cost & benefits of a civil Restraining Order Order

Discuss limits of supervision and agents roleDiscuss limits of supervision and agents role

Provide culturally relevant resource Provide culturally relevant resource

Inform what offenders have and will be toldInform what offenders have and will be told

Discuss safety planningDiscuss safety planning

GOALS for interviews of those GOALS for interviews of those victimized by violencevictimized by violence

Develop confidence that the criminal Develop confidence that the criminal justice system will hold batterer justice system will hold batterer accountableaccountable

Intervene in a way that will be positive Intervene in a way that will be positive and safe for all family membersand safe for all family members

A person does not have to earn the A person does not have to earn the right to not be hit or abusedright to not be hit or abused

Universally screen for domestic Universally screen for domestic violence in all pre-sentence reportsviolence in all pre-sentence reports

Have safety planning and community Have safety planning and community resource handouts availableresource handouts available

GETTING READYGETTING READY

GETTING STARTEDGETTING STARTED

Questions can have more than one Questions can have more than one purposepurposeo Gather information/Provide educationGather information/Provide education

o Has _____ ever use being drunk or high as an Has _____ ever use being drunk or high as an excuse when they hurt you? Rather than: Is the excuse when they hurt you? Rather than: Is the abuser ever drunk or high when they hurt you? abuser ever drunk or high when they hurt you?

GETTING STARTEDGETTING STARTED

Phrase questions to give permission Phrase questions to give permission to talk and create a safe to talk and create a safe environmentenvironment

o How can I be helpful to you?How can I be helpful to you?

o I’m glad you chose to meet with me today. I’m glad you chose to meet with me today. Where would you like to start?Where would you like to start?

o Is there anything else that you were hoping we Is there anything else that you were hoping we would discuss that we haven’t?would discuss that we haven’t?

o Please, take your time. Please, take your time.

GETTING STARTEDGETTING STARTED

Provide information about the Provide information about the criminal justice systemcriminal justice systemo Discuss Discuss confidentialityconfidentialityo Identify what the system can/cannot doIdentify what the system can/cannot doo Help individuals to understand procedures and Help individuals to understand procedures and

rationalerationaleo Help individuals access the system and Help individuals access the system and

community resources.community resources. Begin with less intrusive questions Begin with less intrusive questions

and normalize. and normalize.

IncorporateIncorporate Motivational Interviewing Motivational Interviewing

Express EmpathyExpress Empathy

Roll with ResistanceRoll with Resistance

Develop DiscrepancyDevelop Discrepancy

Support Self-EfficacySupport Self-Efficacy ( Walters et al.,2007( Walters et al.,2007))

Motivational InterviewingMotivational InterviewingTechniques Techniques

Ask Open ended questionsAsk Open ended questions

Affirm positive talk and behaviorAffirm positive talk and behavior

Reflect what you are hearing and seeingReflect what you are hearing and seeing

Have the individual summarize what has Have the individual summarize what has been said, and their strengths. been said, and their strengths.

DURING INTERVIEWDURING INTERVIEW

Listen for lethality risksListen for lethality risks

Convey that there is no justification Convey that there is no justification or excuse for choices to abuse. or excuse for choices to abuse.

DURING INTERVIEWDURING INTERVIEW

Acknowledge power and control tactics Acknowledge power and control tactics as abusiveas abusive

Give examples of how control is Give examples of how control is demonstrated demonstrated

Identify criminal behaviorsIdentify criminal behaviors

Validate, respect, listen, acknowledge Validate, respect, listen, acknowledge strength strength

OPENERS/QUALIFIERSOPENERS/QUALIFIERS

• Many of the Many of the men….men….

• A lot of women A lot of women have told me….have told me….

• Often when this Often when this happens….happens….

• It has been my It has been my experience….experience….

• Research Research indicates….indicates….

• Sometimes we Sometimes we see….see….

• Often we see….Often we see….

AVOID…..AVOID….. Telling the victim what to doTelling the victim what to do

Joining in victim justification of abuser’s Joining in victim justification of abuser’s behaviorbehavior

Criticizing battererCriticizing batterer

Classifying individual as a victim/survivorClassifying individual as a victim/survivor

Victim-blamingVictim-blaming

AND SAYING….AND SAYING….

You need to….You need to….

You should….You should….

You must….You must….

If I were you, I would….If I were you, I would….

ENDING INTERVIEWENDING INTERVIEW

Identify support systemsIdentify support systems Work through a safety planWork through a safety plan Acknowledge expertise of victim Acknowledge expertise of victim

advocates advocates Look for ways to link individuals to Look for ways to link individuals to

additional community resourcesadditional community resources Offer to work as a liaison between Offer to work as a liaison between

victim and community resourcesvictim and community resources Always ask, what can we do to help Always ask, what can we do to help

make you safer?make you safer?

Change Takes Resources:Change Takes Resources:Reflection #10Reflection #10

““Tradition is what you resort Tradition is what you resort to when you don’t have the to when you don’t have the timetime or or moneymoney to do it right. to do it right. ””

Kurt Herbert AdlerKurt Herbert Adler

James E. Henderson Jr. MSW, CAC-RJames E. Henderson Jr. MSW, CAC-R Battered Women's Justice ProjectBattered Women's Justice Project

1801 Nicollet Ave South, Suite 1021801 Nicollet Ave South, Suite 102Minneapolis, MN  55403Minneapolis, MN  55403

p 800-903-0111, ext. 1p 800-903-0111, ext. 1technicalassistance@bwjp.org

James_henderson@yahoo.com (517) 414-7302 Fax (517) 522-8521(517) 414-7302 Fax (517) 522-8521

What is success?What is success?How will you How will you measure it?measure it?

Your mission is clear.

We hope you decide to accept it.

Good Luck!