Starting Victim Services

Sustain the Program

• Celebrate program successes and milestones.
• Conduct periodic evaluation of victims' satisfaction with services, as well as law enforcement and community perceptions of program effectiveness. The information gained can be used to enhance the program and support staff as they seek continuance funding.   
• Be willing to adjust services if victims' needs change or there is a way for the program to conserve resources while still effectively meeting victim needs. Also, be flexible in changing methods of community outreach and program publicity if it seems certain services are not being used.
• Encourage victim services staff to work with law enforcement leaders, community partners, and their advisory committees, if they exist, to deal with program-related challenges as they arise.
• Work to institutionalize the program in the law enforcement agency. Gather data that supports the program, draft job and program descriptions, develop materials highlighting program accomplishments and present them to agency leadership and local governing bodies, and develop proposals for potential funders. Seek to permanently fund staff positions.
• Seek renewed commitment from law enforcement agencies and community partners. Memorandums of understanding (MOUs) can come in handy—agency leaders can be asked to review their responsibilities periodically and sign the MOU again to indicate ongoing commitment to supporting the initiative.
• Seek additional funding and resources to maintain the program—consider governmental grants, nongovernmental funding and donations, in-kind contributions, and partnering opportunities.