This training, Ethics in Victim Services, explores common ethical conflicts and how to apply ethical standards and decisionmaking to resolve them. There are several goals associated with this training:

• To increase self-awareness and understanding of how attitudes and beliefs influence responses to victims of crime.

• To become familiar with and be able to apply the Standards for Victim Assistance Programs and Providers developed by the National Victim Assistance Standards Consortium.

• To recognize when a person is acting in an ethically questionable way.

• To use a standard decisionmaking process when faced with an ethical dilemma.

The participants will learn information and skills related to:

• Values and responses to victims.

• Ethics in victim services.

• Standard decisionmaking process.

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Check Preparing for the Training for tips on getting ready for training.

Target Audience

The training is designed for those who work in the field of victim services with at least 2 years of experience. The training material is useful for both supervisors and direct services staff.

To be most effective and best use the participatory techniques in the training, enrollment should be limited to 40 participants.

Instructor Requirements

Instructors for Ethics in Victim Services should have

• Practical experience as a victim advocate/counselor.

• Experience conducting training, particularly experiential and interactive (rather than lecture-based) programs.

If you are a subject matter expert but a novice instructor, practice each module before the training and refer to training resources such as The Instant Trainer: Quick Tips on How to Teach Others What You Know by Leslie Charles and Chris Clarke-Epstein (1997, Columbus: McGraw-Hill). Also, consider contacting other resource people when putting together your training.