Crime Survivor Services Unit
The mission of the Crime Survivor Services (CSS) Unit is to advocate on behalf of survivors of person-to-person crimes, and family members of homicide victims, to ensure their rights are protected. We strongly believe that every person deserves to be heard, healed, and to feel safe.
The creation of this unit at HSD aligns with the City of Seattle's commitment to reimagine public safety. The unit is comprised of two programs: a Victim Support Team (VST) made up of (70+) community volunteers and the (9) system-based Crime Victim Advocates (CVA).
CSS works with individuals who experience a broad range of violent assaults, some of which include domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, internet crimes against children, and hate crimes. CSS system-based advocates are embedded in the Seattle Police Department investigative units. They work closely with detectives and prosecutors to ensure that survivors have a voice in the criminal process and that their rights are protected. This model will synthesize supervision under one civilian manager who will be authorized to supervise personnel required to access indirect CJIS data and law enforcement material. An interdepartmental agreement outlines matters related to specific job duties of each employee, such as case assignments, continued access to secure law enforcement facilities, databases, etc.
Centering survivor agency, dignity, and safety as well as ensuring the provision of trauma-informed care through a race and social justice lens are the core facets of the Crime Survivor Services unit. Community-based agencies work closely with the unit keeping them current on resources available to survivors; increasing opportunities for partnership; and enhancing collaboration between system and community-based advocates.
Victim Support Team
The Victim Support Team (VST) is a 30-year-old program designed to bridge the gap in services for domestic violence survivors immediately after a patrol officer responds to a 911 call.
On the weekends, VST is a mobile crisis response team, operating city-wide and offering on-scene and/or over-the-phone support. Volunteers work in teams of two and are assisted by an On-Call Supervisor. They provide transportation; help locate shelter, food, and clothing; offer resource referral; offer safety planning; and answer questions about the criminal justice system. During the week, the VST Victim Advocate responds to requests for VST services, collaborating with detectives, patrol officers, system-based advocates, and community partners.
The VST Volunteer Programs Coordinator oversees VST volunteers, including the rigorous volunteer admittance process and is responsible for planning and delivering the 50-hour Training Academy, the monthly meetings/in-service trainings and appreciation events.
As part of the new transition to CSS, VST plans to adapt and expand beyond its current model to also include supporting the CSS Advocates by accompanying survivors to court and offering immediate emergency resources to survivors of all types of violent crime.
Crime Victim Advocacy Program
The CSS Crime Victim Advocate (CVA) Team’s role is to ensure that crime survivors rights are upheld. With the formation of the CSS unit, multi-disciplinary advocacy efforts of each crime type have merged so that procedures and statistical measures can be uniform, and best practices in crime victim advocacy can be established. However, the intent is to keep specialized expertise in the field of each crime-victim’s needs.
Crime Victim Advocates provide trauma-informed, victim-centered support and resources to crime survivors and their families throughout the criminal justice system process. This begins at the time of the police report through the adjudication of any criminal charges that may be filed. The Advocate acts as a liaison with follow-up detectives and prosecutors and is responsible for ensuring statutory obligations are met related to timely notification to victims of crime. This includes updating families and victims on the status of the investigation and court proceedings. Once charges are filed, the advocate tracks the different phases of the court proceedings keeping survivors updated and/or attending critical hearings with (or on the behalf of) the family/survivor.
The Advocate is responsible for advocating on behalf of the family/survivor to ensure access to community resources, victim benefits, and critical services for shelter, transportation, counseling, medical services, interpreters and education on victimization and trauma issues. Advocates can directly provide transportation assistance, and assistance with registration for Crime Victim’s Compensation benefits. Advocates will communicate with crime survivors in all languages via interpreter services.
Our Co-Location Model
Crime Victim Advocates foster collaborative working relationships with SPD investigators, to keep survivors abreast of recent changes in their case and ensure the survivors' voices are heard, by co-locating Advocates in each investigative SPD unit.
The Victim Support Team community volunteers are embedded in the precincts so they may offer immediate trauma response for survivors of domestic violence, at the request of patrol officers. The presence of VST community volunteers at violent crime scenes, alongside patrol officers, allows people to feel supported by their community and work in partnership with several regional DV service programs to ensure survivors have access to critical services quickly.