This work package is devoted to identification and collection of European practices in (a) establishing secure referral arrangements of victims to the relevant support organisations,
(b) individual assessment of victims' support needs in practice, and
(c) providing information to victims about the type of support they can obtain and all other information about victims' rights.
The work package covers design and conduct of research to identify best European practices in establishing secure referral arrangements of victims to the relevant support organisations, individual assessment of victims' support needs in practice, and providing information to victims about the type of support they can obtain and all other information about victims' rights, as well as analysis and validation of data gathered through the research conducted.
In broad terms, the objectives of the research are to identify how the different processes (of referral, needs assessment, information provision) were set up and are carried out, what problems and benefits arise from different approaches, what are the limitations and risks, what are the approaches most commonly used, etc. The research is based on the existing knowledge of the experts and follows usual online research methodologies relying both on scientific publications and grey literature.
The activities of the work package have started with a literature review aimed at mapping practices related to the core objectives. Stakeholders throughout the European Union have been contacted targeted members to set up interviews to gather more information and relevant details and documents from them
a short questionnaire has been delivered by email to stakeholders from law enforcement agencies, victim support organisations, specialised lawyers for crime victims, and other stakeholders in all relevant EU member states (i.e. those where the preceding literature review has identified existence of effective mechanisms). This process will enable the gathering of more detailed information on each countries’ systems and the extent to which these can be considered for use as good practices. Interviews with stakeholders that engage in the most advanced practices in the field of referral mechanisms, individual support needs assessments and provision of information will be carried out in order to identify practices to be defined as good practices. Factors to be taken into account when determining the effectiveness and efficiency of practices include how the practices meet the core needs of victims, approaches most commonly used across the EU, practices which are victim oriented including by mitigation of risk for victims, practices with the highest usage and impact, and cost of practices. Based on these results, interviews will be carried out in states represented in the Project consortium with the view to assess the most promising practices. Interviews with stakeholders will be based on an interview protocol and will provide a final layer of detail on what approaches are used in those states. The approach will facilitate the collection of more personalised information on how the systems were set up, problems faced and solutions, as well as support obtaining relevant national document on the systems.
The results of the analysis and discussion will be presented in the collection of best European practices. The collection will be shared by email with the informants and interviewees as well as presented at national seminars to stakeholders from Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, and Romania for their comments on the practices described in the report as well as on possible ways for their advancement. It will be updated afterwards to take into account the responses received. The report will also be submitted to a peer review process and revised to reflect the peer review comments.