NCJ Number
158321
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 47 Issue: 5 Dated: (September-October 1995) Pages: 19-21
Date Published
1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Victim service bureaus are becoming established in increasing numbers of sheriff's offices in Michigan; these services continue to be one of the least expensive services a sheriff can provide to care for victimized citizens.
Abstract
Victim services advocates are volunteers who counsel and serve victims for almost every type of crime, including domestic assault, suicide, rape, murder, assault, highway fatality, kidnapping, and other forms of violence. Michigan law requires prosecutors to provide at least one designated victim's rights advocate funded by the State. However, no State funds exist for law enforcement agencies to start and train victim services units. The trained volunteers are the only advocates to provide immediate, on-scene, short-term crisis intervention in traumatic events. The Michigan Sheriffs' Association provides a 40-hour training block and periodic continuing education at no change to the county. The main function of the victim services remains short-term crisis intervention for both primary and secondary victims. Advocates carry pagers and are on call 24 hours a day during their designated weeks. In 1989, Newaygo County became the State's first to form a unit. Photographs