By Elizabeth Gerbush
Chances are most everyone knows somebody who
has been victimized by crime at some point. In fact, in
New York state alone, there are over 500 programs committed
to providing victim assistance, including government, non-profit
and faith-based organizations.
That’s why Buffalo State College will
host the first New York State Victims Assistance Academy
(NYSVAA) June 13-17, designed to provide a broad, uniform
basis of knowledge for crime victim service providers, advocates
and allied professionals in the state.
Modeled after the National Victim Assistance
Academy—first established by the U.S. Department of
Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) in 1995—NYSVAA
is one of the first 10 state-specific victim assistance
academies to be established.
The program is sponsored by a grant from
the OVC to the New York State Coalition against Sexual Assault.
NYSCASA and Buffalo State are working together to coordinate
the academy in conjunction with an advisory committee composed
of representatives from various statewide victim assistance
organizations, including:
• CASA-NYS Advocates for Children
• Capital District Women’s Bar Association Legal
Project
• Delphi Drug & Alcohol Council, Inc.
• NYS Crime Victims Board
• NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project
• Office of the NYS Attorney General
• NYS Office of Children & Family Services
• NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services
• NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
• NY State Police
• US Attorney General’s Office, Buffalo
• Victims of Violence Program-YWCA Cortland
Attorney Kathleen Contrino, a research scientist with Buffalo
State’s Center for Health and Social Research (CHSR)
and a faculty member in the criminal justice department,
is involved with coordinating the event. She said that the
professions encompassed in the field are wide-ranging, and
so is the knowledge required.
“Victim assistants are a pretty eclectic
group,” explained Contrino. “They deal with
victims of property crime and violent crime. They have to
know about crisis management, court advocacy, restitution
programs, compensation programs and they need to be able
to manage their own issues and problems dealing with people
in crisis.”
Members of the crime victim assistance field
include:
• law enforcement officials
• social workers
• medical practitioners
• volunteers in shelters and on crisis hotlines
• crime victim advocates
• psychologists
• attorneys
Victims’ rights advocates must also keep up with new
trends in the field, including changes in technology, science,
demographics and legislation.
Lectures, skill-building workshops, interactive
exercises and case studies will be presented by members
of the Buffalo State faculty, as well as experts from the
victim services field. Those attending will get about 40
hours of course instruction on topics such as:
• the justice system
• meeting the needs of victims, including shelter,
medical attention and financial aid
• power, oppression and control
• different types of crime victimization
• mental health issues of victims and providers
• theories of victimization
• applications of technology
• research and evaluation
• victim assistance resources
“Society is recognizing that there
is a major cost in terms of dollars and lives as the result
of such crimes as battering and drunk driving,” said
William Wieczorek, director of CHSR. “This academy
is part of a societal response to professionalize and improve
services to victims. Appropriate services help to reduce
the potential impact on victims, such as psychiatric disorders,
substance abuse, and re-victimization.”
Those attending the academy may be able to
earn continuing education credits in their field, which
many professions require for a member to maintain his or
her license or certification. Buffalo State students are
also welcome to attend and will receive three credit hours
for their participation. The fee for the academy is the
cost of a Buffalo State summer course, in addition to a
registration fee.
There is also an independent study available
for a student interested in helping Contrino coordinate
the academy.
“The student will get all the benefits
of attending a huge academy, as well as the educational
experience of administering a huge academy,” Contrino
said.
For an application to enroll in the academy,
or if interested in the independent study position, contact
Contrino at 878-6137, or contrikm@buffalostate.edu
as soon as possible.
Elizabeth Gerbush can be reached at gerbet47@buffalostate.edu.
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