Victim Advocate

This position provides assistance to and coordinates support for victims and witnesses of crimes; assists victims throughout the criminal justice process; and performs related work as required. The incumbent works within a general outline of work to be performed, and develops work methods and sequences under general supervision.

The work is considered sedentary in nature and involves walking or standing some of the time, exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis, and sustained keyboard operations. The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: balancing, climbing, crawling, crouching, fingering, handling, hearing, kneeling, lifting, mental acuity, pulling, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping, talking, visual acuity, and walking.

Work environment involves exposure to no known environmental hazards; and is dynamic that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs.

• Serves as liaison between the victim, law enforcement officers, investigators, attorneys, court personnel, creditors, and other government and community organizations;
• Receives and processes victim impact statements; assists victims in completing statements as necessary; assists investigators and officers with victim interviews as necessary; reviews statements, law enforcement reports and other documentation to determine needs of victims;
• Responds to incident scenes; assists officers with interviewing victims and witnesses;
• Informs crime victims of their legal rights and ensures their rights are protected;
• Provides crisis counseling and emergency intervention to victims of crime; assists victims in applying for orders of protection as needed;
• Provides emotional and moral support to victims of crimes; refers victims to other agencies in cases of physical, social and/or psychological injuries or anxieties;
• Keeps victims informed of bond hearings, jail releases, court hearings, etc.; provides courtroom orientation to victims and accompanies victims in court when support is requested;
• Transports victims to court, shelters and other locations as necessary;
• Assists in preparing victims and witnesses for court testimony;
• Attends pre-trial meetings, bond / parole hearings, and trials, and provides testimony on behalf of victims as necessary;
• Assists victims in filing applications to the victim compensation fund through the Governor’s Office Division of Victims’ Assistance for the purpose of obtaining financial help with medical expenses, lost wages, counseling expenses, funeral expenses, etc.;
• Assists in determining and requesting restitution payments and payment schedules;
• Provides follow-up services to victims of crimes and their families;
• Establishes and maintains accurate and up-to-date case files and case database;
• Assists in developing and implementing programs to educate law enforcement officers and citizens about crime victimization and other crime-related issues; assists with related training;
• Gives presentations to school, community and civic groups as requested to increase public awareness and support of the Victim Assistance program;
• Assists in coordinating program activities with those of other social service and government agencies as appropriate to better serve victims and witnesses;
• Prepares and manages the victim assistance program’s annual budget; assists in preparing and administering grants for the program;
• Performs general administrative / clerical work as required, including but not limited to preparing reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, answering the telephone, copying and filing documents, etc.;
• Recruits, trains and supervises program interns and volunteers;
• Assists with other programs and activities of the Police Department as assigned;
• Remains on call as scheduled for emergency response;
• Attends training, meetings, conferences, seminars, etc., to enhance job knowledge and skills; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, social work or closely related field;
• Two (2) years of relevant…