Victim/Witness Advocate - Senior

This is a promotional recruitment - only current, permanent Placer County employees are eligible to apply.

To provide crisis intervention and advocacy services to victims and witnesses of crimes; to provide administrative and technical support for program operations; to exercise technical and functional supervision over other staff members as assigned; and to function as an integral and supportive member of the Victim/Witness multi-disciplinary team.

This is the advanced journey level class in the Victim/Witness Advocate series.  Positions at this level are distinguished from other classes within the series by the level of responsibility assumed, complexity of duties assigned, independence of action taken, as well as by the nature of the public contact required.  Employees in this job class perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series.  Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to victim/witness advocacy programs as well as aware of claims operations.

Receives direction from the Victim/Witness Supervisor.
 
Exercises technical and functional supervision over other employees as assigned.

• Train and lead subordinate staff in providing crisis intervention and emotional support to victims and witnesses of crime.
• Provide support to administrative program areas such as budget, data research, purchasing and data management.
• Advise crime victims and refer them to appropriate agencies; advise victims of crime of their rights and benefits under local, State, and/or Federal agencies (i.e. California Victim Compensation Board (Cal VCB)).
• Provide complex and basic crisis intervention and emergency assistance.
• Conduct follow-up advising with victims to ensure their needs have been met. 
• Prepare victims to testify and accompany them to court, giving special attention to children and elderly victims and witnesses. 
• Accompany victims of all crime types to interviews in preparation for court appearances. 
• Provide transportation to victims and witnesses when deemed necessary.
• Provide technical and/or specialized expertise to unit staff; inform and/or explain new regulations and revised regulations to staff and victims.  Provide information to victims and witnesses of crime as to the criminal justice process and procedures.
• Assess need for and authorize referrals to other victim services and/or community resources/agencies to assist applicants/participants in identifying and utilizing the resources and services available; establish and maintain liaison with local private and public resources to provide continuity of services and awareness of designated program areas.
• Conduct program orientation and/or information sessions for applicants to disseminate accurate information regarding assigned program services and pertinent criteria, regulations, and guidelines.
• Prepare correspondence, victim fact sheets, program information and related reports. 
• Maintain records and statistics as requested by the Victim Witness Supervisor.
• Assist in training of program volunteers. 
• Establish and maintain working relationships with other criminal justice and public and private agencies.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County and departmental employees, community agencies and resources, and the public utilizing principles of effective customer service.
• Perform related duties as required.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Two years of responsible advocacy and crisis intervention experience performing duties similar to a Victim/Witness Advocate II with Placer County.

Training: Equivalent to an Associate's degree with major course work in criminal justice, sociology, psychology, or as closely related field.

License or Certificate:

• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

NOTE: Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

NOTE: Relevant, equivalent experience (performing the same or similar job requiring similar knowledge, skills, and abilities) may be substituted for the required education as determined by the Human Resources Department.

Knowledge of:

• Principles of advocacy and crisis intervention techniques.
• Human behavior and cultural and socio-economic diversity.
• Community resources available to victims and witnesses.
• Criminal justice system.
• Basic regulations and procedures of victim restitution.
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer hardware/software and its applications.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation; basic mathematical calculations.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; intermittently analyze work papers; identify and interpret technical and emotional information; explain program regulations and procedures to victims.
• On a continuous basis, sit at a desk for long periods of time; intermittently walk, stand, bend, climb, squat, twist and reach while retrieving or returning files or making field visits.  Intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means; see with correctable acuity sufficient to read characters on computer screen; hear and speak with correctable acuity sufficient to communicate with clients; and lift light weight.
• Assist the Victim Witness Supervisor to train, assess, review and evaluate the work of subordinate staff, as needed.
• Advise and assist victims and witnesses of crime in crisis situations.
• Deal with hostile and uncooperative victims and witnesses who are under emotional stress.
• Obtain information through interviews and conversation.
• Provide appropriate emotional support to traumatized victims.
• Assist with prioritize the work of others in an effective and timely manner.
• Utilize an automated system to enter/retrieve information and to track/monitor participants through program components.
• Understand and apply complex laws and regulations in an independent manner, and interpret and explain complex regulations and procedures to less knowledgeable individuals.
• Effectively interview a wide variety of individuals from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds and who may be physically, emotionally, or mentally impaired or distressed.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Act quickly and calmly in emergency situations.
• Recognize differences in human behavior resulting from cultural, financial and other forms of deprivation found in victim populations.
• Analyze situations quickly and objectively and determine proper course of action.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula.  Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

The eligible list(s) resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change.  It is advisable that applicants inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view benefits for General bargaining unit

Tentative Recruitment Timeline:

Week of 5/27/19    Minimum Qualifications Screening

Week of 5/27/19    Training and Experience Rating

Week of 6/3/19      Establish Eligible List