ABSTRACT
Being the witness or victim of a crime is in most cases a highly emotional experience—during the crime itself and in the minutes (or months) afterward. If the crime involves or threatens violence, the witnesses and victims are likely to feel fear. Other crimes will leave the witnesses and victims feeling angry, and still other crimes might trigger an episode of emotional disturbance (e.g., anxiety or depression) that continues long after the crime itself. And in some cases, these emotional reactions will be quite strong—perhaps rising to the level we call trauma.
