The County of Yuba is currently establishing an eligibility list for the position of Victim Witness Advocate in the Probation Department. Under general supervision, assist victims and witnesses of crime by providing information, support, referral and advocacy services; monitor cases through the judicial system; conduct educational presentations regarding victim services; assist in completing victim compensation claims; and perform related work as assigned. This is the journey level in the victim witness advocate class series and is expected to exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment. Incumbents work initially under close supervision as they learn procedures and complex regulations and acquire the ability to apply the regulations. As experience is gained, an incumbent will work with more independence and carry an increasingly larger and/or more difficult caseload.
The ideal candidate will have knowledge of laws and procedures of criminal justice agencies as they affect the responsibilities and rights of victims and witnesses of crime; laws and psychological dynamics of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault; principles, practices and techniques of interviewing. Skill in interpreting, applying and explaining applicable laws, codes, regulations and procedures to a variety of individuals; assisting victims or witnesses of crimes with progression through the criminal justice system in a timely and reasonable manner; providing psychological and emotional support to reduce stress associated with being a victim or witness of a crime. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with victims and/or witnesses and their families, departmental staff, law enforcement officers, attorneys and community agencies; analyze situations accurately and to take effective action; prepare and deliver effective presentations to meet the needs of the audience.
Qualifications:
MINIMUM: Equivalent to an Associate’s degree from an accredited college with major coursework in social or behavioral science, criminal justice or a related field and one (1) year of responsible public contact experience involving law enforcement, supportive counseling or similar work in a public or private agency that provided knowledge of community social service resources and/or the criminal justice process. Relevant client counseling experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
PREFERRED: In addition to the minimum, three years of experience providing direct services to victims and witnesses, peer counseling or social work that provided considerable knowledge of the criminal justice process.