Citation

Winkel FW. Br. J. Criminol. 1991; 31(3): 250-265.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Documents produced by various international organizations, among them the United Nations and the Council of Europe, allot a central place in victim support efforts to the provision of information on how to prevent (re) victimization. This article presents an overview of some recent experimental studies conducted within the Dutch police; on the basis of these experiments, some recommendations are formulated on how victims may be effectively encouraged to cope with their experiences using strategies based on their emotions and on the problem of avoiding victimization. These recommendations concern the issues of enhancing the persuasive impact of preventative messages, of avoiding communication side-effects (such as increased fear of crime and response generalization) and the design of training programmes aimed at stimulating victim-orientated attitudes and behaviour in police officers and victim assistance workers. The outcome of four evaluation studies, which examine the effects and side-effects of this kind of victim-orientated intervention using face-to-face re-contact procedures, are reported.