Vision

Educate, Empower and Embrace Victims of Crime

Goals

1. Improve the outcome for victims
2. Pledge to help them prevail over the trauma of crime
3. Seek to provide excellent support for safety, health, healing and justice
4. Maintain the confidentially of each client
5. Demonstrate a spirit of helpfulness

 Victim Advocate Volunteer Responsibilities:

Court Companion

Purpose:  To provide support to assigned crime victims during the pre- and post-criminal proceedings and process.

Duties:

1. Accompany the victim to court proceedings.
2. Work with victim to help them understand the dynamics of the legal and court proceedings
3. Advise victim of their victim rights beginning at pre-trial through post-trial process.
4. Encourage victim to register with the appropriate agencies that will keep the victim aware of the perpetrator’s progress and/or act as contact point.
5. Maintain contact with State’s Attorney office to maintain awareness on the progress of the criminal proceedings.
6. Maintain contact as needed with police detectives to keep client aware of any investigation changes and/or arrests status.
7. Discuss and encourage participation in victim impact statements and court education session.

Case Management Volunteer

Purpose:  To provide support to assigned caseload of crime victims referred to agency.

Duties:

1. Make follow-up calls to clients referred to the Victim Advocate Program.
2. Based on conversations with the client or referral source identify resources to support needs.
3. Maintain needed information on clients for reporting and case review purposes.
4. Ensure confidentiality of client information are maintained.
5. Receive and review questions of persons concerning the actions or next steps and make follow up calls to provide services to the victims.
6.  Take action to ensure client’s understanding of criminal process where it appears that a victim or family of a victim may be in need of assistance.
7. As needed and possible assume role or court companion.

 Victim Services Volunteer

Purpose:  To provide support to victims of crime in conjunction with the Prince George’s County Police Department across the six districts.

Duties:

1. Based on type of incident, put together information package for residents.
2. As appropriate make follow-up calls to victims of crime reported to assigned District Stations.
3. Act as a frontline position reaching out to victims of crime shortly after the incident to inform them of support services and make necessary referrals.
4. Maintain confidentiality of all paperwork and information regarding victims, family and incidents reported. 
5. Act as PGCPD liaison to identify issues or concerns and make appropriate recommendations to assigned leader.
6. Participate in case reviews to discuss workload, victim needs, station support, etc. to ensure program goals are being met.

7. Required skills and abilities

   	Completion of CAFY Volunteer training
   	Interest and desire to work in the criminal justice system
   	Organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple tasks at one time
   	Ability to assist people in crisis and to act in crisis situations with composure and assurance
   	Companion must have access to reliable public or private transportation
   	Ability to work with individuals from a variety of social, economic and racial background

   Training:

   A formal 30-hour training includes introduction of types of crime, crisis intervention techniques, communication skills, victim rights, and other related areas such as service excellence, working with families, reactions to victimization and trauma, code of ethics and prosecuting a criminal case.  Learning process throughout the program include a mixture of role plays, group interactions, video tape, and discussion.  Participants who successfully complete the classroom training will participant in an on-the-job period of 5-10 hours over a period 10-20 days or 4 court cases.

   Throughout the training and role plays the participant will receive feedback on how well they are doing.  They will be encouraged to provide input and suggestions on how to improve our program on a continuing basis.

   Time Commitment:

   	One year commitment to the program
   	Acceptance of a case assignment within two months of completion of pre-service training
   	Attendance at in-service training meetings
   	Attendance at regularly scheduled monthly case review meeting with the coordinator

If you are interested, click here to fill out the Volunteer Application

Produced by Community Advocates for Family & Youth.  The hosting of this website was made possible by the support by Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice.  Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U. S. Department of Justice.