Six questions for Elynne Greene, Head of Metro’s victim services

By Abigail Goldman

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 | 2 a.m.

After a crime scene is cleaned up, when the detectives are done asking questions, crime victims — or remaining family members — are left alone with their tragedy. This is where Elynne Greene comes in. For 17 years, Greene, a civilian therapist, has worked for Metro, counseling people touched by crime. Today, she’s supervisor of the department’s victim services unit, helping people navigate catastrophe.

How do you help victims?

Regardless of the crime, the impact can be physical, emotional, financial. We evaluate the need, and we translate the criminal justice system into plain English. Police officers’ jobs are very black and white. We try to put color into the process so victims understand what their rights are.

Which cases are hardest for you?

For me, it’s homicide. Watching people try to cope with unexpected and senseless death.

What do victims need from you?

Sometimes they just need someone to listen. When people are in crisis, they don’t know what resources they are able to count on. Some people realize they have a circle of friends they can talk to. Sometimes it’s the opposite. The people around them don’t know what to say, so they don’t say anything, and the victim becomes isolated.

You’re surrounded by tragedy for a living — how do you cope?

I’m not above needing to talk about it. I use whatever resources I have to ventilate myself. That doesn’t mean you don’t go home sometimes feeling really sad and helpless.

Has this job changed your worldview?

I’m very aware now that bad things happen to good people. The wrong time, the wrong place, a bad decision, they can suddenly impact you. I don’t do drama anymore either. Drama drives me crazy. When I’m talking to a mother who has just buried her son — that’s drama. So when other people have these drama attacks because their shoe doesn’t fit or something like that, I just don’t do it.

Do victims, or surviving family and friends, ever really recover or feel whole again?

Their lives take a turn. It’s not necessarily worse or better. It’s just different. I know people who have been through the worst who now help others. I know people who have spiraled downward. For most people, their lives aren’t over, but they’re very different.