Part 6- Family Liaison in Homicide and Serious Crime Investigations Flashcards
What is the role of the Family Liaison Officer?
The role of FLO involves the day-to-day management of the partnership between the family of the deceased and the Police investigation
What is the primary function of the Family Liaison Officer?
The primary function of an FLO is that of an investigator and not a support person.
However the FLO must also offer, facilitate, and co-ordinate support that addresses the needs of the family.
The OC Investigation must liaise closely with the FLO to ensure families are treated professionally, with respect and according to the family’s needs.
What is a Family Liaison Plan?
The family liaison plan is a dynamic process which must be reviewed in consultation with the FLO, at regular intervals
What does a family liaison plan involve?
The Plan should be recorded and consider:
* Selection of the FLO and criteria employed for the selection
* Exit plan for the FLO
* Objectives of the family liaison
* Assessing the most appropriate methods of conducting interviews with family member, including the use of specialist interviewers
* Information to be released to and withheld from the family
* Requests made by the family which have not been agreed to, and the reasons for this
* Complaints made by the family and the OC Investigation’s actions to progress and resolve the issues raised
* Any member of the family who could be considered a suspect, to enable the OC Investigation to determine whether or not this is the case
* Liaison with Victim Support and other support services
Define the term family
The term ‘family’ includes:
- partners
- parents
- siblings
- children
- guardians
- whanau
- and any others who have had a direct and close relationship with the victim
- includes ‘chosen’ family
- should reflect the victim’s culture and lifestyle
Cultural liaison
Must know
The FLO should identify the cultural origins of the victim’s family and ensure they are familiar with relevant cultural beliefs and protocols, to enhance relations with the family and to contribute to the victim profile
In cases involving Maori victims, an ILO should be involved from the earliest stage possible
Victim Impact Statements
Victims should be given the opportunity to make a written statement about the impact the crime has had on them, through a victim impact statement
Who can take a VIS?
Must know
Homicide trained Victim Support volunteers are trained to assist Police by taking Victim Impact Statements from surviving family members
The VIS should be no older than?
Must know
28 days
The statement must be available for sentencing and should be no older than 28 days at the time of sentencing
