Victim Advocates
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According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (n.d.), fear is one of the major reasons victims do not report crimes. This may include fear of retaliation or fear of getting the offender into trouble. It is not hard to imagine that some of this fear may be lessened if victims have someone to assist them through the important first steps after crimes have been committed. This is when victims’ advocates become so important. These professionals “offer victims information, emotional support, and help finding resources and filling out paperwork.” In some cases, advocates even go to court with victims (National Center for Victims of Crime, 2012). It truly takes a special person to become a victims’ advocate.
The Assessment:
Consider the type of characteristics you feel are necessary to be a strong and effective victims’ advocate.
Download the Victim Advocate Job Profile Worksheet located in this module’s Learning Resources. Answer the questions on the worksheet.
Then, in approximately 500 words, describe types of services and supports that are available to victim witnesses.
References
Bureau of Justice Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved May 29, 2018, from
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/press/vnrp0610pr.c…
National Center for Victims of Crime. (2012). Retrieved March 13, 2018, from
http://victimsofcrime.org/home
