Summary of Compliance with Committee Recommendations

Recommendation

Status

Comment

OVS shall adopt a standard for the administrative processing of compensation claims and aim to make 75 percent of its determinations on incoming applications within the newly adopted time frame. OVS must establish written policies and procedures for administratively closing inactive claims.

Full

OVS has developed monitoring mechanisms to identify claims requiring priority status and has been able to reduce the average time frame to process compensation claims.

OVS has been working in collaboration with the Judicial Information Systems (JIS) on the development of a new computer system for the claims unit, which will enable OVS to monitor claims processing. OVS will continue to identify methods to further shorten processing time.

OVS, in consultation with the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, must adopt a written policy and procedures manual regarding the review process. Each claims commissioner should be provided with a manual prior to beginning his or her term. Notice of the hearing policy and procedures should be given to claimants seeking review.

OVS should pursue having additional claims commissioners temporarily appointed to address any backlog of pending hearings.

Full

Written policies and procedures for the Compensation Program are now in place. A fact sheet is included with the acknowledgement of a review request mailed to every applicant to assist in his or her understanding of the process.

The agency has addressed the backlog of hearings by scheduling more frequent review sessions and does not believe additional commissioners are needed at this time.

OVS shall have discretion in applying minimal loss requirements in cases deemed to be hardship.

Full

P.A. 99-184 included this provision.

OVS shall discontinue batching invoices and submit them for payment as soon as they are prepared.

Full

OVS no longer waits to group invoices in batches.

OVS, in conjunction with the Office of Adult Probation, shall develop formal recovery policies and procedures and design an interagency tracking system to identify restitution subject to OVS collection.

OVS should design and maintain a system for projecting recoverable funds.

Full

In September 1998, the OVS Recovery Program was instituted to examine claims for potential recoverable funds from third parties for restitution.

Ongoing discussions continue between OVS and representatives from the judicial branch, Court Support Services, and the Office of the Attorney General to share information to help recover restitution.

OVS shall prepare and formally adopt a written policy and procedures manual for its Victim Notification Program.

Full

Policies and procedures have been written and adopted.

OVS, in consultation with all agencies currently required to provide victim notification, shall develop a plan outlining needed changes, resources, and/or necessary working agreements. The plan shall be submitted to the General Assembly no later than February 15, 2000.

OVS shall assume statutory authority over all victim notification mandates by January 1, 2001.

Full

On February 15, 2000, a report was submitted to the General Assembly regarding a plan for a comprehensive and transparent notification system for Connecticut's crime victims. The report contained approximately 20 general recommendations and identified critical policy issues for further consideration, including victim and offender confidentiality, program eligibility, and technology challenges.

OVS must develop a plan to ensure equal access to court-based advocate services in all criminal courts.

Full

The court-based Victim Services Advocate (VSA) Program has experienced significant growth during the past year. There are currently 29 victim services advocates. All 13 judicial district courts have a VSA. In addition, there are nine in geographic area courts, five in juvenile courts, one "floater" providing temporary coverage in various locations, and one based in the central OVS office to handle the toll-free help line.

OVS shall work with the Division of Criminal Justice to develop written guidelines outlining the victim advocate's specific responsibilities and duties in each courthouse by January 1, 2000. Such guidelines shall be reviewed at least once every five years, beginning in 2005.

Partial

OVS continues to partner with the Division of Criminal Justice on key victims' service programs. They reportedly work collaboratively and cooperatively and do not feel a formal workshare agreement is necessary at this time.

If the VSA program is expected to expand, an adequate level of supervision must be maintained.

Full

The VSA program has two supervisors. In order to prepare the new VSAs, supervisors developed and facilitated a three-week training course. VSAs are required to complete the training prior to assuming their court assignments.

OVS shall develop and implement a formalized training program for its court-based advocates. Training manuals must address the differences and distinctions among courthouses, specifically juvenile courts.

Full

Training has been provided and directives issued as necessary in an effort to ensure uniform services across the state.

OVS should make every attempt to house their court-based advocates within courthouses.

Prior to any additional advocates being placed in the field, OVS must develop an administrative plan for the transition of court-based victim advocates into the criminal justice system.

Full

To the greatest extent possible, all OVS advocates have courthouse space. Recently, OVS staff has been awarded offices and secure, separate waiting areas for clients in three judicial facilities. As new courthouses are designed and built, OVS is involved in the planning and allocation process.

OVS shall develop written policy and procedures for the Homicide Outreach Program.

Full

OVS has written and adopted a policies and procedures manual for the Homicide Outreach Program.

Subcontractors providing grief counseling for the Homicide Outreach Program should be required to compile client use data as a condition of their service contract.

Full

OVS reports additional data collection elements have been instituted to identify client families, the number of sessions, the type of service provided, and the service provider.

OVS should institute a follow-up evaluation process for clients to provide feedback on services they receive.

Full

Clients who receive services from a contracted provider will receive surveys and other tools to measure the level of satisfaction with the services they receive. OVS plans to develop methodologies to review the feedback.

OVS should develop standardized policy and procedures relating to the referral process for specialized contractual services. Each court-based advocate should be provided a resource guide of specialized victim services available in their region.

Partial

OVS worked with Info Line to produce crime victim service providers' regional directories, and draft copies were circulated in August 2000. However, Info Line did not have the technological capacity to correct identified problems. As such, OVS decided not to move forward on this project.

OVS should develop strategies to increase public education regarding available victim services.

An explanation of the role and responsibilities of the court-based advocate should be incorporated into the mandated training provided to courthouse personnel, including but not limited to prosecutors and judges.

Full

To increase public education regarding available victim services, OVS has:

·created and distributed two editions of an OVS newsletter/directory whose primary audience is non-judicial staff;

·designed and distributed a poster highlighting the Connecticut victims rights amendment to the constitution and information on accessing services;

·updated the OVS victim rights booklet to include new legislation;

·made a presentation to an annual conference organized to educate college students, crime victims, and service providers about violence and the services available to victims of crime;

·broadened formal training programs to cover a larger group of law enforcement personnel, criminal justice staff, and allied professionals;

·conducted several presentations describing the OVS role and services exclusively with courthouse personnel; and

·had two subcontracting agencies translate the OVS victim rights booklet into Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, Haitian, Ethiopian, and Polish.

The statutory provision limiting OVS contracts to nonprofit organizations shall be amended to allow OVS more flexibility in contracting.

Full

P.A. 99-184 included this provision.

OVS shall develop a set of performance standards to use in evaluating the agency's overall performance as well as all key components and phases of each program's administration.

The standards must be established by January 1, 2000, and measured on an annual basis. A report detailing the outcomes of the performance measures shall be submitted to the chief court administrator.

Full

In September 1999, OVS developed performance standards and outcome measures as part of their strategic plan goals. Goals and outcomes were confirmed and preliminary measures established in January 2001. OVS will submit final measures and data collection tools to the Strategic Management and Performance Improvement Unit by February 15, 2001.

Data collection efforts are scheduled to begin in March 2001. The initial summary of data is expected by June 30, 2001.