Victim Witness Advocate- Edgartown

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Barnstable, MA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office serves all of the people of the Cape and Islands with offices in Barnstable, Orleans, Falmouth, Edgartown and Nantucket. We are seeking a full-time Victim Witness Advocate to work Monday through Friday 8:30am-4:30pm in our Edgartown office. This is an in-person position and prior experience is preferred but not required. The Victim Witness Advocate coordinates with Assistant District Attorneys, investigators, support service providers, and criminal justice system personnel to ensure that victims receive the rights established in the Victim Bill of Rights. They determine and assess the necessary support needs of victims and serve as their main point of contact throughout the criminal justice process.

Requirements

Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
Outstanding interpersonal skills and professional workplace etiquette, demonstrating a proactive and team-oriented approach.
Excellent time management, including file management, prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.
Outstanding professional communication skills, including active listening, clear verbal and written communication.
Technical proficiency in software (MS Office preferred), email, and other systems.
Ability to troubleshoot issues quickly and solve problems independently.
Great attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in data entry, documents, and scheduling.
Must be adaptable and flexible, able to adjust quickly to changing priorities and new situations.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's Degree in victim services, criminal justice system, or related social service field preferred.
At least three years of related experience preferred.
Understanding of crisis intervention, case management, and safety planning preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate with Assistant District Attorneys, investigators, support service providers, and criminal justice system personnel to ensure that victims receive the rights established in the Victim Bill of Rights.
Respond to victim/witness inquiries, assess needs, and determine necessary support resources.
Provide referrals to other state and community agencies including support services, crisis intervention, community resources etc.
Distribute information on investigation/prosecution updates, schedule changes, and substantive case information to victims/witnesses.
Provide emotional support and information about the criminal court process in the event of a criminal prosecution and provide consistent updates to families.
Provide written and verbal notification to victims and witnesses regarding arrests, arraignments, pre-trial conferences, motions, hearings, grand jury appearances, trials, defaults, dispositions, restitution hearings, sentencing, and appellate proceedings.
Provide in-court support during hearings and trials, explaining to victims, witnesses, and family members the court process and their rights throughout that process.
Maintain an assigned caseload.
Build and maintain relationships with community agencies and resources that support victims.
Other related duties as assigned.