victim advocate

NCVC hosted an online webinar focused on Providing Trauma-Informed Death Notifications. In this training, Staci Beers, Victim Services Coordinator, FBI, presented best practices to perform a trauma-informed and compassionate approach to death notification and possible crisis reactions by survivors. This four-hour training included; best strategies to give compassionate and trauma-informed death notifications, interactive scenarios, and information on different referrals and services in Cleveland, Ohio.

This training initially was developed for the Ohio-N PSN site who was experiencing issues with victim and witness intimidation. This training provided law enforcement with an overview of victim-witness intimidation and provide a victim-centered approach to interviewing and responding to witnesses. Through conversation with other sites, hearing their issues with victim/witness intimidation, NCVC decided to conduct a national training on Trauma-Informed Law Enforcement Strategies for Combating Victim, Witness, and Community Intimidation and Retaliation.

This session is part of the “2020 Summer Summit Virtual Learning Series.” This series highlights six of the topics from the original agenda regarding professional development and victim advocacy needed to address the “Challenge of Change.”

This session will highlight procedural justice and trust-building for prosecutors.

Speakers:

Emily LaGratta, Principal, LaGratta Consulting,

John Belton, District Attorney, Lincoln and Union Parishes (LA),

Kirsten Pabst, District Attorney, Missoula County (MT),

Dave Sunday, District Attorney, York County (PA).

The Ohio-N PSN site is experiencing issues with victim and witness intimidation and wants to host an initial meeting in late-February. We have confirmed February 21st at the training date with a training length of 90 minutes. The initial training will provide law enforcement with an overview of victim-witness intimidation and provide a victim-centered approach to interviewing and responding to witnesses. Further, the site requested an additional training later in the year in which these topics will be discussed in significant detail over a one to two day training.

The conference will focus on the needs of jurisdictions responding to domestic violence cases. Experienced prosecutors and victim advocates will facilitate discussion and train participants on practical strategies and model policies in domestic violence prosecution. Prosecutors and victim advocates with all levels of experience are encouraged to attend.

As part of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys’ Capital Litigation Improvement Project webinar series, Randy Udelman of the Arizona Crime Victim Rights Law Group presented on victim counsel coordination. Mr. Udelman outlined ways in which victim counsel facilitates the criminal process by interfacing between victim families. In addition, Mr. Udelman offered several sample hypothetical cases based on real facts—illustrating how to effectively meet victim needs in capital case prosecution. Mr. Udelman also answered several questions from the attendees at the end of the presentation.