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Delivering Victim-Sensitive Death Notifications
 
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Date
When notifying parents of missing children that there child was found dead,what would be the best way to give this kind of information to the parents without making the situation worst?
Nicole
02/18/2009
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 0 | Total Postings: 0
 
END GUEST HOST SESSION - Thank you for participating in OVC’s Web Forum Guest Host Session Series. We hope this discussion will help you better serve crime victims. Please continue to discuss this an...
OVCRC
08/28/2008
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Was the last notification you delivered as hard as the first? In other words, does it get easier?
Keith N.
08/28/2008
arrow icon I don't think saying it gets easier would be the right way t...
Ellie B.
01/05/2009
arrow icon I believe that the ability and technique improves over time,...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon I think it does get easier if you have tools in your toolkit...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 3 | Total Postings: 3
 
What procedures should be in place to assure that those being notified are actual family members of the deceased?
Gilbert L.
08/28/2008
arrow icon You can begin by asking a question about their relationship ...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
arrow icon One of the scripts I recommend in my trainings is to do deat...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
What if the person being notified has small children present? What special assistance should be provided under those circumstances?
Camryn J.
08/28/2008
arrow icon Tell the adults that you have a serious matter to discuss wi...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 1 | Total Postings: 1
 
Should you physically comfort the person you are notifying - such as by hugging them?
Lauren L.
08/28/2008
arrow icon It's best to follow the victim's lead on this. Some people ...
Virginia Hansen
01/12/2009
arrow icon Some people are comfortable with this, others are not. I th...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
As a health care provider, how can the techniques you illustrate be used to give these notifications when the final outcome is uncertain, (may or may not include death, but can include limitless other poss...
Aaron
08/28/2008
arrow icon Families want honest communication, and they prefer that it ...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 1 | Total Postings: 1
 
What kind of training do you recommend for victim advocates who would like to be part of the death notification team?
Samata Horwitz
08/28/2008
arrow icon In addition to the resources Janice mentioned, I have develo...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon You will need to look around for trainings that may be offer...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
What process should be used to determine who should deliver the notification?
Jason M.
08/28/2008
arrow icon I think that will depend on the situation and who on the DN ...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon It definitely should not automatically be done by the one wh...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
What are some tips when delivering a death notification when there is a language barrier and one must use a translator?
Kerry
08/28/2008
arrow icon I'd like to add here that spiritual sensitivity is also key....
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
arrow icon This is important. Many times, in the absence of an officia...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
I am a victim advocate. When a child dies, what, if any, is the appropriate length of time to wait before contacting the family to offer services?
MaryBeth
08/28/2008
arrow icon I agree with Bill that families may need to know right away ...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
arrow icon I think that you need to be sensitive to the family's needs ...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
Have you ever delivered a death notification to someone you suspected of being responsible for the death?
Katherine K.
08/28/2008
arrow icon I have not, but the legal obligation of the death notificati...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon I have not. Have you, Bill? My thinking, though, is that y...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
What are some things to avoid when doing a death notification?
Pete N.
08/28/2008
arrow icon Avoid doing it any way that is not a personal notification. ...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
arrow icon You should try to avoid anything that would increase the tra...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
As a police officer, I have delivered a few notifications over the years. Some folks have taken the news badly and been outwardly upset with the officers. What should we do when trying to help the family, ...
Ralph Cahoon
08/28/2008
arrow icon Of course some people are angry. It can help neutralize the...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
arrow icon The goal with a DN is to make a tragic situation as minimall...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
While it is best practice to deliver a notification in person it is not always possible. What do you feel is the most appropriate way to continue to attempt to contact in person? Different approaches inclu...
Ann
08/28/2008
arrow icon I'll never forget finding a well-intended law enforement car...
Kathleen Adkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon One of the problems you run into here is letting someone kno...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon PLEASE don't leave a note on the door. Bill and I can tell ...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 3 | Total Postings: 3
 
Mr. Jenkins, the question I want to ask is how to prepare my fellow chaplains in be able to make death notices, but also to go beyond the notice and not to make this a platform to get people to come to the...
Pastor Jim
08/28/2008
arrow icon ... continued. I believe that people can be angry with God a...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon There are many very effective and sound chaplain/law enforce...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
What would you suggest is the best approach in the situation when delivering a death notification to the sole male resident (father or the husband of the victim), and this male remains very calm but soon a...
B. Bagi
08/28/2008
arrow icon Tough call. I think this is one of the best times for a cris...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon Unless you see signs that the man may actually have a suicid...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
What do you recommend to effectively educate the broader public about the types of questions or statements they should or should not say to victim families who have just learned of their loved one's death?...
Nancy Sabin
08/28/2008
arrow icon ... continued. At the academic level you could provide mater...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon Personally, I think that victim sensitivity training should ...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 2 | Total Postings: 2
 
I am a law enforcement chaplain. In our training academy we were discouraged from using the words "I'm sorry" while giving a death notification, because it could be perceived as our taki...
Meta Velez
08/28/2008
arrow icon ... continued. Fourth, you are the messenger, not the cause ...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon Oh boy. I heartily disagree with this and here is why: First...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
arrow icon I disagree, too, Meta, and if you need supporting documents,...
Janice Lord
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 3 | Total Postings: 3
 
Will you cover the nuances of suicide in this discussion?
Debbie Ruggles
08/28/2008
arrow icon Suicide can pose some difficult problems for death notificat...
Bill Jenkins
08/28/2008
View Details | Reply |Total Postings: 1 | Total Postings: 1
 
START GUEST HOST SESSION - The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is pleased to welcome Janice Harris Lord and Bill Jenkins to the OVC Web Forum. They are available to answer your questions on best practice...
OVCRC
08/28/2008
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|Total Postings: 0 | Total Postings: 0
 
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