Victim Services

The Victim Services Office is located in the Public Safety Building and is part of the Prosecution Division. The office is supervised by Jessica Hancock, Victim Services Coordinator, and includes five full-time Victim Advocates.

Duties

The office provides advocacy services for victims of crime, including crimes of domestic violence. The office's mission is to support victims of crime by providing education, information, resources, and encouragement.

The office strives to treat all victims with respect and dignity. It also strives to reduce psychological trauma to primary and secondary victims, while helping to build self-esteem and develop coping mechanisms. The office offers every available resource to assist victims in obtaining safe and secure environments.

Office Appointments

Victims may receive assistance by walk-in or by appointment. The office is staffed by advocates Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call 801-963-3223.

Mobile Team Advocates

The Victim Services Office employs mobile team advocates to provide immediate crisis intervention for victims of crime. The advocates respond to incidents, along with the police, to provide victims with immediate information regarding their rights and the resources and options available to them.

The mobile team advocates are responsible for providing immediate services as necessary, including transportation to shelters and other safe havens.

Education

The Victim Services Office provides victims of crime with education and information regarding court procedures and the criminal justice system. This service includes the presence of an advocate during hearings and other important criminal justice proceedings, assistance with no-contact orders and protective orders, and a private waiting area for victims and witnesses.

Languages Other Than English

The Victim Services Office provides information to under-served victims of crime, particularly those who do not speak English. A Spanish-speaking advocate is available full-time to better serve the city's Hispanic population. The office also has resource information available in other languages, such as Bosnian, Somali, and Tongan.