Victim Services
Victim Advocates are responsible for providing respectful care to victims of crime and trauma. Victim advocates and other personnel can provide information and appropriate referrals on:
- Crisis intervention and victim assistance services
- The availability of protection services, including obtaining a protection order from the accused
- Custody status of an offender, including arrest, release, and conditions imposed upon release
- Locating medical and other emergency resources
- Education about trauma and common reactions
- Status of the case prior to the filing of charges
- Availability of financial resources, including Crime Victim Compensation and how to apply
- Availability of a free copy of the police report
- Return of property collected as evidence
- Referrals to counseling, mental health services, social, legal, and other community resources
- Employer intercession services
- Translation and interpretation services
- Childcare and transportation services
Rights
The work of Victim Services is based on the Colorado Victim Rights Act.
Ensuring Your Rights
If you feel you are unable to address your concerns at the local level or your efforts to resolve your concerns have been unsuccessful, you may request assistance from the Crime Victim Services Advisory Board by contacting the Victim Rights Act Specialist at: Colorado Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Justice 700 Kipling Street, Suite 1000 Denver, CO 80215-5865 or call a Victim Rights Specialist at 303-239-4497.
Volunteer
Volunteer Victim Advocates work as a liaison with officers and detectives immediately after an incident to provide support services to those impacted by crime or tragedy. These support services include providing crisis intervention, emotional support, victim rights information, and referrals to other local resources which may be able to provide on-going support and assistance.
Minimum requirements include:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Pass background check and be drug free
- Required to complete a 40-hour Training Academy
- Must be able to volunteer one shift per month (shift selection is dependent on volunteer’s availability and department’s needs)
- Attend monthly volunteer meeting
- Have reliable transportation and phone service
- One-year commitment to the program
- Demonstrate compassion, empathy, and integrity
There are three on-call shifts available in a month:
- Dayshift from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Nightshift from 6 p.m. – 6 a.m., Monday through Thursday
- Weekend shift starts at 6 p.m. on Friday and ends at 6 a.m. on Monday
The next Volunteer Victim Advocate Academy will begin soon! It is a 40-hour training over the course of three weeks held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and all-day Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The training sessions will cover crisis intervention techniques, active listening, victimology, victim rights information, criminal justice information, introductions to local resources, and other topics.
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Victim Advocate, please complete a Volunteer Application.