Victim Witness Assistant

Ingham County•Lansing, MI

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Chief Assistant Prosecutor and/or the Office Administrator, this role ensures the implementation of victims’ rights as mandated by law. This includes attending court hearings, trials, and managing witnesses. The position provides crisis intervention and emotional support to victims and/or witnesses regarding the criminal justice system.

Requirements

A minimum of two years of college-level coursework in criminal justice or a human services field is required.
A minimum of one year of experience in a Prosecutor’s office or other legal setting which would provide familiarity with the judicial system.
Demonstrates effective communication skills by engaging, interacting and working with all individuals to ensure clarity and understanding in all interactions.
Ability to sit, stand, traverse, lift, carry, push, pull, reach, grasp, handle, pinch, type, endure repetitive movements of the wrists, hands or fingers.
Continuous stamina (more than 50%) sitting.
Regular stamina (21-50% of the time) traversing, typing, repetitive movements of the wrists, hands or fingers.
Periodic stamina (5-20% of the time) standing, carrying, reaching, grasping and handling.
Little to no stamina (less than 5%) lifting, pushing, pulling, pinching.
Ability to exert 20 pounds or less of force.
Close visual acuity to perform tasks within arm’s reach such as: viewing a computer screen, using measurement devices, inspecting and assembling parts, etc.
Ability to communicate and respond to inquiries both in person and over the phone.
Ability to operate a PC/laptop and to enter & retrieve information from a computer.
Ability to handle varying and often high levels of stress.

Nice To Haves

Mentoring interns and volunteers.

Responsibilities

Sends informational packets to victims of crime to inform them of the charges filed and their rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.
Provides victims with impact statements to complete and return if they choose to exercise their rights under law.
Informs victims, by letter, email or telephone, of court dates and actions taken.
Ensures that statutory requirements regarding notification are fulfilled at each step during the prosecution of the case.
Liaises with law enforcement agencies to gather victims contact information or next of kin information when necessary to establish contact and abide by the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.
Upon request, promptly forwards victim contact information to the tether company to allow victim notifications to be enabled when an individual charged with a criminal offense is released from custody.
Scans pretrial release orders into the office file maintenance program for record-keeping.
If the release order includes no-contact provisions, ensures the victim is notified by mail or email regarding the terms of the order.
Advises victims of hearings and final dispositions, which includes providing forms to be completed by the victim and assisting with the preparation of such statements.
Upon conviction, provides victim impact statements, restitution documents, and victim contact information to various probation departments.
Acts as a liaison with the local probation department during the duration of a defendant’s term of probation.
Acts as a liaison with local courts to provide victim information to facilitate restitution payments and future contact.
Enters court dates and other important information into the case management system.
Upon receipt of Judgement of Sentence and Order of Probation/Order of Disposition from court, accurately enters sentence/disposition information into the office file maintenance program.
Marks non-public cases accordingly to maintain confidentiality.
Assists victims in completing applications for compensation to recover some of the expenses incurred as a result of the crime.
Provides victims with information that may assist in filing a claim.
Follows appropriate procedures to obtain approval for fund allocation through Direct Victim Needs (DVN) and follows through to fulfill the victim’s specific needs.
Meets and/or assists victims in preparing for court and provides support by familiarizing them with the court process.
Serves subpoenas to victims and to other witnesses outside of the office with the assistance of the prosecuting attorney.
Attends hearings and trials with victims as requested.
Upon receiving notification that a subpoena was unsuccessful in being served or delivered, promptly contacts the victim or witness to obtain an updated address.
Notifies clerks to ensure the subpoena is reissued and sent to the updated address.
Provides coverage for other advocates and witness management assistants when necessary.
Schedules appointments with the assistant prosecutors for victims and explains court procedures and their rights to these individuals.
Provides crisis intervention and assistance to victims in obtaining Personal Protection Orders, reporting threats, and shelter referrals or counseling.
May mentor interns and volunteers, including making work assignments and reviewing work products.
Coordinates travel, stay, and dining arrangements for witnesses attending court from outside the area.
Coordinates language interpreters for witnesses attending court and meetings.
Utilizes Language Line to communicate with victims and witnesses when necessary.
Facilitates the collection and submission of medical release forms from victims, ensuring timely receipt of medical records.
Collects and reviews restitution documents to provide to the court.
Scans and uploads various documents into the office file maintenance program in a timely and accurate manner.
Creates detailed notes for each document received, confirming its scanning and placement into the appropriate file.
May assist in grant reporting for the victim/witness unit.
Participates in required continued training hours.
Serves on boards and councils to provide input on victim-related issues.
Makes presentations to community groups, local police departments, hospitals, and other organizations on victim’s rights and the County’s victim/witness program.
Regular attendance and punctuality are standards of performance required for this position.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Adheres to departmental standards in regard to HIPAA and other privacy issues.
During a public health emergency, the employee may be required to perform duties similar to, but not limited to, those in his/her job description.