Supporting Invidividuals in Crisis

Counterintelligence: Crime and Violence Prevention

Foreword

All concerned citizens from all walks of life need guidance and guidelines to assist people physically, mentally, financially and spiritually in times of crisis, sudden life events, hostile games or victimization. Getting the right information to the person is critical to their well being. Counterintelligence: Crime and Violence Prevention will aid the person’s recovery and prevent re-victimization.

Guidelines for Supporting Individuals in Crisis

When a person experiences a crime, tragic event or hostile games, citizen should help the individual to cope with the trauma by restoring a sense of security, offering support, helping them to regain control in their own lives and explaining their role in a supportive fashion. Each situation is different and may require different methods of handling. Aid the individual to the best of your ability in assessing medical needs, determining facts and circumstances of the situation and advising others around the person. Approach the individual appropriately in order to gain their trust and cooperation so the person will feel at ease discussing the traumatic event. After a tragic event, help the person to recover as quickly as possible by creating a safe and secure environment, allowing the individual to express their emotions, providing information about what to expect afterwards and presenting a special contact list for further assistance.

Create a Safe and Secure Environment

People often feel helpless, vulnerable, and frightened by the traumatic events, you can respond to person’s needs to feel safe by following these guidelines:

	Introduce yourself by name and title. Briefly explain your role and purpose.
	Acknowledge the crisis. Reassure the person of their safety and your concerns by paying close attention to your own words, body language and tone of voice. Say to person, "You’re safe now". Use body language to show concern, such as nodding your head, caring facial expressions, placing yourself at the person’s eye level, keeping a casual stance and speaking calmly and supportively. Ask the person to tell you what happened. Ask if they have any physical, mental and spiritual injuries, needs or concerns. Take care of their needs first.
	Offer to contact a family member, friend, or crisis counselor.
	Ask simple questions that empower the person to make decisions, assert oneself and regain control over their lives. Examples: "Would you like anything to drink?"; "May I come inside and talk with you?"; and "How would you like me to address you, Ms. Jones?"
	Stress confidentiality whenever possible. Let them know to avoid information that could be harmful if presented due to the unseen community games until proper help is available.
	Provide a "safety net" for the individual before leaving them. Make telephone calls and pull together personal or professional support. Give the person a pamphlet listing resources available for help or information. (See Ask help from the following resources.)
	In writing, give your name and information on how to reach you. Encourage them to contact you if they need further help or have any questions.

Allow the Individual to Express Their Emotions

A person needs to express their emotions and tell their story after the traumatic event or hostile games. The individual needs to be heard by a thoughtful listener. In addition to fear, other feeling may emerge such as self-blame, anger, embarrassment, shame, sadness, or denial." Physical, emotional and spiritual distress and unseen games of all kinds may surface in peculiar ways, such as laughter or nightmares. A person may be overwhelmed with strange thoughts and feelings at the sudden, unpredictable, and uncontrollable threat to their safety or lives. This physical, emotional and spiritual release can even be directed at the people who are aiding them.

Allow the person to express their emotions. Notice the person’s body language, such as their posture, facial expression, tone of voice, gestures, eye contact, and general appearance. As a result you will be able to study and respond to the persons feeling and thoughts.

Assure victims that their physical, spiritual and emotional reactions to the tragic event are not uncommon. Use understanding statements such as: "You’ve been through something very frightening. I’m sorry"; "What you’re feeling is completely normal"; and "This was a terrible event." Counter any self-blame by victims by using these statements, "You didn’t do anything wrong. It was not your fault." Speak with victims as individuals in an informal and friendly way. Ask the person to express their feelings and listen.

	Encourage the person to tell their whole story and everything they remember even if it does not appear to be important.
	Ask open-ended questions. Use questions that can he answered by "yes" or "no." when necessary. Show that you are actively listening by presenting proper facial expressions, body language and comments such as "Take your time; I’m listening" and " Do you want to take a break. We have all the time in the world". Avoid interrupting the person thoughts.
	Restate or paraphrase what you heard from the person. For example, "Let’s see if I understood you correctly. Did you say. . .?";

Provide Information about What to Expect Afterwards

After the tragic event, individuals often have concerns about their role in the investigation of the crime, legal proceedings, media attention, mental health processes, re-victimization and health care costs or property damage. If you are knowledgeable, let the person know what to expect after the tragic event, what type of physical, mental, spiritual and financial stress may occur and how it may change their lives. Remember nothing is set in stone.

Briefly explain law enforcement agencies procedures for tasks such as the filing of your report, the investigation of the crime, interviews and the arrest and arraignment of a suspect.

	Discuss the general nature of medical forensic examinations and mental health assistance the person will be asked to undergo and the importance of these examinations.
	Explain what specific information may be or may not be used from the standard report by other parties. Discuss the likelihood of the media releasing any of this information.
	Briefly explain the mental health processes. What is proper? Tell them about possible physical, mental and spiritual traumas that may occur. Keep it simple.
	Counsel the person that physical, mental and spiritual reactions to a crisis are normal. Please keep in mind that some people may have no reactions. Encourage them to reestablish their normal routines as quickly as possible to help speed their recovery.
	Provide the person with information and written listing of available resources for help. (See Ask help from the following resources.)
	Ask the person if they have any questions. Encourage the person to contact you if further assistance is needed.

Provide a Special Contact List for Further Assistance

Ask for help from the following resources:

Find a professional who understands all aspects of your psyche and free of bias, drug abuse and discriminating opinions even if it appears to be standard procedure. Beware of educated idiots. Be careful that you are not mislead or overpowered by physical, mental and spiritual undue influences.

If you are harmed physically, emotionally and spiritually, get medical attention or other help.

Talk with someone who can help such as friends, mental health professionals, clergy or special law enforcement people. If necessary, look for counseling even if it happen a while ago.

Look for written information such as booklets.

Seek and Check out with extreme care:

God and/or spiritual support resources

Law Enforcement and Intelligence communities

Crime and Violence Prevention Centers

Hotlines, Shelters, Support groups, legal aid services

Family Service Associations & Guidance and Marriage Counselors.

Family therapist, psychologists and psychiatrists.

Mental Health Centers, Social Services and Agencies.

See Special Contact List & Guidelines

See Mental Health Crime and Violence Prevention

See Spiritual Crime and Violence Prevention

See Professional Crime and Violence Prevention

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Conclusion:

This section is a reminder that every individual in crisis deserves the right to be treated with courtesy, respect and fairness. When individuals in crisis, citizens and law enforcement work together and help each other, it improves the entire community resources. By presenting this section, the professional, friend, relatives, colleagues and community citizens will be more sensitive and helpful to people whom are in crisis.

Warning: Please investigate policies and procedures, laws and regulations and history of the organization. If you become suspicious or threatened, find help elsewhere. Guard against questionable practices, carelessness, negligence, criminal activities, off the record conduct, biases, misinformation, re-victimization, misguidance and misdirection when seeking assistance. Know your individual rights, the right to collect information on any subject matter and the right to use other resources, if necessary. Check your instincts from time to time. Proper help is not always available. As a result, other healthy socially accepted methods must be established. Know when to request professional backup for protection.

E-mail: Fhawk@Ccil.org

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