Formal Help-Seeking
Formal help-seeking is getting help from the CJS, specifically the police, as well as other formal help like hospitals, doctors,and mental health professionals (McCart, Smith, & Sawyer, 2010). Formal help-seeking can either be driven by the victim contacting the police or medical services, a witness calling the police or medical services, or medical services contacting the police because they suspect their patient is the victim of a crime. For example, doctors are required to report to the authorities if they suspect that a child patient is being abused. Many states grant immunity for the violation of doctor-patient privilege if the doctor is aware that a crime occured and reports it, such as a gunshot wound (Schleiter, 2009). Some states, like Hawaii, even mandate that doctors report injuries that were clearly related to criminal activities (Schleiter, 2009).
Victims reporting their crime to the police triggers a host of systems to help the victim. This includes the ability to have the offender(s) arrested and an investigation started, the prosecutor to open a case, and for the formal justice process to occur. If the crime is never reported, none of these things occur. Reporting also allows victims to submit claims for property insurance, as well as to victims compensation programs.
The decision to seek police help for victims can be complex. Factors that impact this decision can include severity of the crime, injury, the victim-offender relationship, demographic factors, and trust of the police. Image: Women talking to police. Authored by: Kenneth Lu. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Lawyers_talking_to_SFPD_officer_at_SFO_-noban_Protest_- Jan_29,_2016_(31761490084).jpg. License: CC-BY 2.0
The percentage of victims who report crimes depends on the crime, but can range from 66 percent for robbery to as low as 41 percent for simple assaults and 42 percent for sexual assaults (Rand, 2008). This percentage is still very low, due to a number of factors. For example, immigrants in the United States illegally are less likely to report victimization, even if the crime was severe, because of the fear of being deported (Reina, Lohman, & Maldonado, 2014). Distrust of the police also affects crime reporting by immigrants (Messing, Becerra, Ward-Lasher, & Androff, 2015), communities with a history of being targeted by the police, such as African Americans (Tyler, Jackson, & Mentovich, 2015), and those who have a history of being the victims of police brutality (Desmond, Papachristos, & Kirk, 2016). It should be noted that Gill, et al. (2014) found that community policing, when it is implemented well, raised the level of trust of police among communities, which helps police solve and prevent crime.
Victims of crime who are in the United States illegally are less likely to seek formal help for fear of revictimization as well as deportation, even when the crime is serious. Image: Container used for illegal immigration to the U.S. Authored by: United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Category:Human_trafficking#/media/File:Chinasmuggle_lg.jpg. License: CC-0
Other reasons people do not seek help through formal lines can include shame or embarrassment at being a victim (especially of fraud and theft), a lack of knowledge of the CJS, feeling intimidated by the CJS, or perceptions that the CJS cannot help. When a victim knows their offender, it reduces the likelihood that they will work with the police. This is especially true for victims of minor assault, but is not true for victims of sexual assault (Felson & Lantz, 2016).
Formal help-seeking can be a very important way for victims to recover and become empowered, yet reporting and use of mental health services and medical services remains low. One reason for this is the lack of access to services, especially good mental health services, after victimization. Rural communities, in general, have fewer of these resources, making the ability of victims to seek medical and mental health help even more difficult. Services are also lacking for those seeking medical attention for injuries, including for rape and aggravated assault. This presents an important area in need of change in order to help victims.
Family and friends are critical supports for victims. They serve as an emotional and physical support system right after victimization, through seeking formal help, and during long-term recovery. Image: Two people embraced on a bench overlooking the beach and surf. Authored by: Circe Denyer. Source: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php? image=106818&picture=love-on-the-beach. License: CC-0