Family Roundtable

Family Members of Homicide Victims Gather to Identify Best Practices for Law Enforcement

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Shadow of a child's hand behind opaque glass
Thirty survivors of losing a family member to homicide gathered in Nashville, Tennessee, to share their experiences with the hope of offering guidance on how law enforcement officers, prosecutors and others can help other families facing a similar tragedy. The Family Roundtable was sponsored by the Knoxville, Tennessee, Police Department and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police. The family members met April 18-19, 2015, and came up with specific recommendations for different professions, including the following:

Law Enforcement:

  • Agencies should have policies and training on how to notify survivors.
  • Law enforcement officials should not use murder cases for political or personal benefit.
  • Investigators should inform family members in a sensitive way what is needed for collecting evidence and how long the evidence may be retained.
  • Investigators should keep family members informed about any updates in the case once they have been cleared.

Victim Advocates:

  • Victim advocates should offer services immediately.
  • Notifications should be timely and not just consist of a phone call before a trial date.
  • Advocates should have adequate training and be knowledgeable about the law, the specific case, after care services, victim compensation benefits and dealing with the media.

Prosecutors:

  • Prosecutors should have policies and practices to help survivors know what to expect during the prosecution and appeals.
  • Have a policy that preserves the right to make victim impact statements.
  • Prosecutors must meet with survivors to discuss sentencing decisions or plea bargains.

Probation and Parole:

  • Survivors should be notified about conditions of probation, parole and any hearings.
  • Restrictions should be placed to prevent convicted murderers from contacting the family.

Media:

  • Use victim advocacy groups to approach editorial boards and reporters about how to prevent further harm to the survivors during news coverage.
  • Provide formal briefings and develop educational materials to help families deal with the media.

Courts:

  • Statutes are needed to ensure victim impact statements are allowed.

Event sponsored by the Knoxville Police Department, Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. April 18–19, 2015, Nashville, TN.