Giving Compass' Take:

• An estimated 1 in 10 Americans will lose a loved one to homicide during their lifetimes. This Urban Institute post examines the unique needs of these homicide "co-victims" and how they can be addressed.

• Limited services — such as counseling and therapy — are available for such survivors, which are disproportionally from minority communities. In what ways can the nonprofit sector help fill in the gaps?

• Here are some criminal justice reforms to watch in 2019.

A single homicide affects countless lives, and the survivors left behind — known as homicide co-victims — are often overlooked in the aftermath ...

The sudden and violent loss of a loved one is one of the gravest experiences anyone can have. CVR researchers have identified three major challenges co-victims commonly experience:

  • They can experience substantial psychological harm. Losing a loved one can be devastating, and when that loss is because of violence, it can lead to prolonged or complicated grief.
  • In the aftermath of the homicide, co-victims must often interact with the criminal justice process, which can be lengthy, cumbersome, and difficult to navigate. Co-victims sometimes look to the conclusion of a criminal trial for a sense of closure, but that doesn’t always happen, even once the case is resolved.
  • Media and society at large react to homicide cases in ways that are often sensationalized or lead to heightened interest from co-victims’ communities. This can force co-victims to deal with increasing attention as they are experiencing grief, leaving loved ones isolated from or stigmatized by their community at a time when they need support the most.

Read the full article about needing to do more for homicide co-victims by Katie Robertson, Sara Bastomski and Marina Duane at Urban Institute.