A CHARTER for the victims of crime will be finalised in the next week, the Minister for Justice told the annual conference of Victim Support at the weekend.
This will set out for the first time the way in which those affected by crime should be treated by all the agencies they come in contact with, including the Garda.
Mrs Owen also announced that the review of the criminal injuries claims legislation will be finalised shortly when a report on the matter, which she is to receive, is considered by the Government.
Victim Support has been urging the Minister to reintroduce compensation for pain and suffering endured by those injured during the commission of crimes but Mrs Owen refused to predict what the recommendations of the review group would be on this subject.
A booklet designed for crime victims will explain exactly steps and procedures taken by the agencies, including the Garda, the courts and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
"Ignorance of these procedures often adds to the anxiety of victims, the Minister said.
Victim Support, which has 20 branches throughout the State and more than 400 trained personnel, launched a new programme at the weekend specifically to support the families of murder victims.
Mr John Donoghue, a clinical psychologist, who helped devise the programme, said families who have lost a member through murder have a double burden to carry, that of the death and the fact that it was caused by violence. They are often left to cope with a situation for which they are totally unprepared.
"They face unimaginable distress and suffer intense emotional reactions at the same time as having to cope with the criminal justice system, which often appears to show little regard for their feelings," he said.
Mr Donoghue, who is one of the leading specialists in the psychology of death and dying, said while families may be the subject of universal sympathy, up to now there was a failure to translate this into a response that recognised their needs and attempted to meet them.
"In fact no real provision has ever been made for these families who, in addition to all else, feel that everything is swept away at the end of a trial," he said.
Over the past 18 months as well as drawing up the programme, he has supervised the training of 26 volunteers to help the families of murder victims.
The chairwoman of Victim Support, Mrs Jennifer McGuinness, said the volunteers, as an initial step, would offer a confidential listening ear.
"It won't bring back the loved one but we believe it will make a difference in helping people to cope and carry on with their lives," she said.
The theme of its 11th annual conference in Cork at the weekend was "Caring for the Carers".
Mrs Marion Gibson, a crisis counselling expert, said she was encountering an increasing number of people who work in State and voluntary health services suffering the effects of stress. Their symptoms are the same as those they are helping, including anxiety and helplessness. Frequently they believe they are a failure if they have to ask for help, she said.
Prof Robert Daly, clinical director of psychiatric services in the Southern Health Board and a leading authority in post traumatic stress disorder, said the carers can suffer burnout. This manifests itself as slowness, depression, irritability, a loss of energy and appetite, hyperactivity and social withdrawal. Frequently the victim is unaware they are suffering burnout.
To avoid this, the agencies should ensure their people are not allowed to work or stay with victims around the clock - "otherwise they become menaces and dangerous as helpers because their judgment becomes suspect."