Victim Advocate - G117 Victim Witness

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists victims and witnesses of crime in understanding and navigating the criminal justice process.
• Establishes contact with victims and witnesses of crimes; shares information about the program; collects personal contact information.
• Advocates for and provides support and encouragement to victims, in courtroom, at home, in hospital, at funerals.
• Corresponds with jail, Department of Corrections and Pardon & Parole Board to obtain information about status of defendants; provides victims with information.
• Affords assistance in making transportation, travel, and hotel arrangements to attend court.
• Refers victims to other social service agencies and programs as appropriate; serves as liaison between victims and other agencies.
• Attends court hearings, Grand Jury, bond hearings, guilty pleas, trial hearings, and arraignments; acts as liaison between prosecutors and victims/witnesses to provide support and share information and status.
• Travels with victims to Pardon & Parole Board early release hearings; assists victims in writing protest letters against parole or early releases; prepares Notification Letters for Pardon of Parole and Department of Corrections to ensure victims are notified of an inmate’s release.
• Requests medical releases for the District Attorney’s Office to obtain information on the victim’s injuries for trial and for use in preparing Victim Compensation Claims.
• Compiles and submits victim compensation claim to the Georgia Crime Compensation Program.
• Prepares and monitors budget for office expenditures.
• Attends victim meetings and training programs of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
• Orders and maintains all office supplies.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the criminal justice system and legal terminology.
• Knowledge of victim compensation programs and available resources.
• Knowledge of state court practices and procedures.
• Skill in basic accounting.
• Skill in operating such office equipment as a computer and related software, calculator, fax machine, and telephone.
• Skill in interpersonal relations.
• Skill in oral and written communication.
• Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.

Minimum Educational and Training Requirements

• Knowledge and level of competency commonly associated with the completion of specialized training in the occupational field, in addition to basic skills typically associated with a high school education.
• Sufficient experience to understand the basic principles relevant to the major duties of the position, usually associated with the completion of an apprenticeship/internship or having had a similar position for one to two years.

Physical Requirements

• The work is typically performed while sitting, standing, or stooping.
• The employee must occasionally lift light objects.
• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.
• Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.
• Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
• Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.
• Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.
• Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.
• Manual Dexterity – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
• Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
• Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
• Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
• Standing – for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back.
• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word.
• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.
• Visual Acuity 4 - operate motor vehicles/heavy equipment.
• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

Benefits

• Low-cost Medical Insurance
• Prescription Drug Plan
• Dental Plan
• Vision Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• Credit Union
• Direct Deposit
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Vacation Leave
• Sick Leave
• PERK Time Off
• Retirement Plan
• Supplemental Retirement Plan
• Free and Discounted Services
• Employee Assistance Program

Employer

Columbus Consolidated Government

Address

City Hall
1111 1st Avenue
Columbus, Georgia, 31901

Phone

706-225-4059

Website

http://www.columbusga.gov/HR