Counseling Chapter 6 Irm Situations Like This Officers Are Often Trained Respond Swiftly Listen Attentively

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IRM 6-14

In situations like this, officers are often trained to respond swiftly, listen attentively, show concern,

and refrain from challenging the victims’ versions of events or judging the wisdom of their

reactions while the crime was in progress. At the same time, as the responding officer, you would

need to maintain objectivity despite uncertainty or conflicting accounts of the incident.

To learn more about victims and police, see “Victims and the Police.”

Summary B

You decide to not arrest the husband. Your training is such that you are taught to follow the

objective evidence in a case. The wife’s story was choppy, and she had less extensive injuries than

her husband. Both you and your partner have a history of trying to not read too much into

subjective aspects of cases. Just because the dominant conception of domestic violence is that of a

To learn more about victims and police, see “Victims and the Police.”

You arrest the husband because by his own admission, he was the first party to engage in an

aggressive act when he pushed his wife.

Question 3

Which of the following is a term to describe when a crime victim is made to feel worse when an officer is

perceived to be dismissive of or callous toward a person who is reporting a crime?

a. second wound

b. dismissive wound

c. contamination

d. primary wound

Question 4

Which of the following is a defense mechanism and a part of the working personality of police officers

where the danger of the job produces a need to maintain objectivity in the face of complicated situations

and conflicting witness accounts?

IRM 6-15

a. distancing

b. burnout

c. paramilitary reaction

d. contamination

What Would You Do?

You have the discretion and must decide whether or not to arrest the wife, too.

What would you do?

a. Arrest the wife. It is better to make a mutual arrest and leave it to the prosecutor to make a decision to

drop charges than it is to leave a false impression that the case is “clear cut” when it is not.

Summary A

You decide to arrest the wife, too. The weight of the evidence suggests that she hit him with

something to produce the injury to her husband’s head. She is objectively just as at fault for her

reaction.

To learn more about victims and police, see “Victims and the Police.”

Summary B

You and your partner decide to not arrest the wife. There is some basis for believing that although

the injuries to the man were more severe, that he was fully at fault. By his own admission, he

pushed her first. You and your partner have received training on the impact of domestic violence

IRM 6-16

To learn more about victims and police, see “Victims and the Police.”

Chapter 6 Review

1. In an ideal world, the criminal justice system would address the needs of crime victims in all of the

following ways EXCEPT __________.

a. judges would give offenders the sentence that the victim wants

b. prosecutors would make sure the defendant is indicted and there is a swift trial

c. correctional authorities would make sure the probationer does not harass the victim

d. law enforcement agencies would arrest the offender and recover any stolen items in a timely fashion

2. Which of the following is least likely to add to the suffering that crime victims experience due to

interactions they have with representatives of the criminal justice system?

a. The role of the crime victim as a witness for the state means they are treated as a piece of evidence.

b. The victimization occurred because the police were unable to protect them in the first place.

c. Victims are assisted in navigating the criminal justice system and in obtaining the services they need.

d. The criminal justice system must follow federal and state regulations that extend due process

protections to defendants.

IRM 6-17

b. Incorrect. The fact that the police were unable to protect them can set up feelings of vulnerability,

insignificance, and anger against the system within the victims. LO1, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims

Interacting with the Criminal Justice System: Cooperation or Conflict?]

c. Correct. When there are people within the criminal justice system whose duty is to assist the victim as

he or she navigates the unfamiliar paths of their case, and then assists the victim in locating the services

he or she needs to be made whole again, then the victim is more likely to report a positive experience with

the criminal justice system. LO1, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims Interacting with the Criminal Justice

System: Cooperation or Conflict?]

d. Incorrect. This statement pertains to the rights extended to the defendant, not the victim. It highlights

how the government has failed to take comparable steps to protect the rights of crime victims. Thus,

victims may feel that they don’t matter as much as the offender. LO1, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims

Interacting with the Criminal Justice System: Cooperation or Conflict?]

3. The victim’s involvement in the criminal justice system will allow him or her to pursue each of the

following outcomes for their offender EXCEPT __________.

a. seeing that his or her offender is punished to a level comparable to the harm caused

b. advocating for lawmakers to increase the harshness of penalties for their offender

c. compelling the criminal justice system to order the offender to a rehabilitation or treatment program

d. urging the criminal justice system to require restitution from the offender

4. What is a negative outcome from seeking vengeance?

a. Increased specific deterrence

b. Increased general deterrence

c. Supporting the concept of lex talionis

d. Feeding the victim’s obsession

IRM 6-18

b. Incorrect. Making the offender pay for the harm caused can lead to good under the doctrine of general

deterrence. This perspective states that if others see the punishment faced by the offender, then they will

recognize there are negative consequences for criminal behavior and will choose not to offend. LO1,

Bloom’s: Understand [What Do Victims Want: Punishment? Treatment? Restitution?]

c. Incorrect. Lex talionis, or “an eye for an eye,” is the notion that if the offender is punished to the level

of the harm caused, then balance is reestablished. LO1, Bloom’s: Understand [What Do Victims Want:

Punishment? Treatment? Restitution?]

d. Correct. The pursuit of vengeance can have a negative outcome for the victim if it becomes an

obsession. This obsession can undermine recovery and even lead to additional emotional and mental harm

for the victim. LO1, Bloom’s: Understand [What Do Victims Want: Punishment? Treatment?

Restitution?]

5. Which of the following terms best reflects when an offender is ordered to pay money to the victim to

return the victim to his or her previctimization financial state?

a. Rehabilitation

b. Revenge

c. Restitution

d. Retribution

6. According to the NCVS, for which crimes did victimization reporting rates to the police decrease

dramatically between the years of 1973 and 2016?

a. Robberies

b. Rapes and sexual assaults

c. Simple assaults

d. Burglaries

IRM 6-19

d. Incorrect. Between 1973 and 2016, burglaries experienced a slight increase in reporting rates (47

percent to 50 percent, respectively). LO4, Bloom’s: Remember [Victims and the Police]

7. According to the NCVS, the highest victimization reporting rates to the police today are for which

crimes?

a. Rapes and sexual assaults

b. Household larcenies

c. Aggravated assaults

d. Motor vehicle thefts

8. Which of the following statements regarding differential reporting rates is false?

a. People are more likely to report a victimization if they believe the offender was a gang member.

b. People are more likely to report a victimization if they are attacked by a stranger.

c. People are less likely to report a victimization if they are male.

d. People are less likely to report a victimization if they are young.

9. What is the newest contributing factor to delayed response times of law enforcement once a 911

emergency call has been placed?

a. Delays by citizens at the scene or victims themselves to call 911 to report the emergency

b. Increased travel time to the scene

c. The near universal use of cell phones and their increased accidental calling of 911, thus clogging

investigations of emergencies with unnecessary delays

IRM 6-20

d. How the call is prioritized by those who monitor 911 calls

10. Which of the following best exemplifies the problem of the second wound?

a. When 911 call centers place the victim’s request for help low on the priority list of calls

b. When police officers feel drained or anxious due to the violence and stress of their job

c. When police officers address crime victims in a detached, dismissive, or callous manner

d. The revenge one feels towards the offender after being victimized

11. Which of the following is least likely to lead to burnout experienced by law enforcement officials?

a. The traditionally macho norms of police subcultures

b. The task of notifying next of kin about the death or murder of a loved one

c. The detachment and distancing of oneself when dealing with crime victims

d. Being taught how to offer “psychological first aid” to people in distress

IRM 6-21

b. Incorrect. Having to notify someone that a loved one of theirs died accidently or was murdered can be

very stressful and awkward. Working in a jurisdiction where this is a somewhat frequent occurrence can

lead to burnout. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims and the Police]

c. Incorrect. While the detachment may at first be seen as a way to protect oneself from the draining and

continual needs of the victims, the distancing can infiltrate other areas of their life like interactions with

colleagues and family. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims and the Police]

d. Correct. Training programs that give officers tools to use when interacting with victims in distress can

be beneficial to both. Officers are able to offer comfort and assistance without feeling drained from the

task and victims are aided at their time of need. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims and the Police]

12. Which of the following is an illegitimate reason why law enforcement should be critical of each claim

of victimization?

a. The reporting of race related hoaxes

b. The use of victimization claims in order to make a fraudulent insurance claim

c. Ignoring victimization claims in an effort to bolster a department’s crime control records

d. The use of victimization claims to gain revenge on another

13. What does it mean if a crime is unfounded?

a. There is not enough evidence to believe that the offense occurred.

b. There is belief the offense took place, just not as serious of an offense as originally believed.

c. The offender cannot be found.

d. The victim cannot be found.

14. For which of the following testimonies would the phrase witness immunity most likely apply?

IRM 6-22

a. The defendant testifies that his sister was the actual person involved in the break-in.

b. A woman testifies in good faith that the person she saw break into her neighbor’s house was the

neighbor’s grandson.

c. The police officer testifies that the sister’s fingerprints were found on the door frame.

d. The victim testifies that her big screen television set was taken from her home.

15. Which of the following is not used to classify a crime as “cleared”?

a. The suspect has died.

b. The suspect has been arrested.

c. The suspect has been sentenced to prison.

d. The suspect is in another country that will not extradite him or her back to the United States.

16. When looking at recent clearance rates for murder, rape, robbery, and burglary, which offense has the

lowest clearance rate?

a. Murder

b. Rape

c. Robbery

d. Burglary

IRM 6-23

b. Incorrect. Rape is the second most cleared crime of this group. In 2016, the clearance rate was 41

percent. Interestingly, in 1953 the clearance rate was 78 percent. LO5, Bloom’s: Remember [Victims and

the Police]

c. Incorrect. Robbery is the third most cleared crime of this group. In 2016 the clearance rate was 30

percent. In 1953, the clearance rate was not much higher at 36 percent. LO5, Bloom’s: Remember

[Victims and the Police]

d. Correct. Burglary is the least cleared crime of this group. In 2016, the clearance rate was only 13

percent, down from 27 percent in 1953. While the other offenses are crimes of violence and may include

close contact between the victim and offender, burglary is a property offense and the victim and offender

typically never come in contact. LO5, Bloom’s: Remember [Victims and the Police]

17. Which statement is false regarding murder clearance rates?

a. Today, two out of every five murderers get away with their crime.

b. Law enforcement in the cities of Memphis, Detroit, and Columbus are least likely to arrest someone for

the crime of murder.

c. Law enforcement in the cities of New York, Oklahoma City, and Seattle are most likely to arrest

someone for the crime of murder.

d. Special homicide squads have no better clearance rates than do other detectives.

18. Which of the following is an argument against the creation of cold case squads?

a. New technological advances allow for the testing of evidence which may lead to useful clues.

b. Family members and friends could be faced with repeated disappointments when the murderer is not

arrested.

c. The creation of new databases for missing persons and unidentified corpses may assist in identifying

murdered persons.

d. There is no statute of limitation for murder.

IRM 6-24

d. Incorrect. The lack of a statute of limitations for murder means that the case is never closed. Someone

can be charged with the crime even decades after it occurred. LO3, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims and the

Police]

19. Historically, victims have expressed multiple concerns as to how law enforcement treats their case.

Victim complaints have included all of the following EXCEPT __________.

a. Victims were not read their “victims’ rights” when the officer came to investigate the complaint.

b. Victims were notified that their case was too minor to be investigated.

c. Cases were closed even though they remained unsolved.

d. Victims were not notified even when their cases were resolved.

20. Which of the following reflects a positive outcome of citizen arrests?

a. Suspects are likely to resist and endanger victims or others who are present.

b. Police officers may not take into custody a suspect who is “arrested” by another citizen.

c. The arrestee can sue the arresting citizen in civil court for false arrest.

d. Those interested in making a citizen’s arrest may enjoy involvement in a police auxiliary unit.

21. Which statement is false in regard to the recovery of stolen property?

a. The NCVS is the best source of recent recovery rates.

b. The UCR notes the overall dollar value of recovered stolen goods for all kinds of reported thefts.

c. The UCR notes which kinds of possessions have been recovered.

IRM 6-25

d. User-friendly recovery rates are not routinely tabulated and published by police departments or the

FBI.

22. According to the UCR, what item has the highest recovery rate?

a. Currency (cash)

b. A motor vehicle

c. A firearm

d. Livestock

23. The challenge to recover stolen property can be frustrating for victims in the following ways EXCEPT

__________.

a. victims, at times, will take on the burden themselves to recover their own property

b. victims may have to accept only partial recovery of their property

c. recovery rates are high, so victims are likely to get their stolen property back

d. even if their property is recovered, the police can retain it until after the trial or even, in some cases,

after all appeals have been exhausted

IRM 6-26

c. Correct. Recovery rates are low, and most victims will never see their property again. In 2016, the

recovery rate for all types of possessions was only 28 percent. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims and

the Police]

d. Incorrect. To know that one’s property has been recovered, but not be allowed to have it can be very

frustrating for the victim. Adding to the frustration is not knowing how long the property will remain in

police custody. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Victims and the Police]

24. Which of the following fails to represent a community policing approach?

a. A victim-oriented approach

b. A closed-door policy so officers can focus on solving cases

c. A user-friendly model

d. Allowing citizens to have a larger say in the workings of the department

25. Which of the following fails to represent a victim-oriented police department?

a. Extending outreach efforts to neighborhoods in the community

b. Returning recovered stolen property to the owner in a timely fashion

c. Placing as much emphasis on the minor offense as one would a major case

d. Keeping results from performance measures in-house so as to not dampen community-police relations