In the grand scheme of things, prosecutors and victims of violent crimes are natural allies. The prosecutors strive to bring the offenders to justice, whether to fulfill their duty before the law or achieve career progress. At the same time, the victims get moral satisfaction when the criminals are brought to justice. Therefore, one might think that prosecutors and victims are naturally supposed to cooperate. However, this logical scenario does not necessarily happen in practice. Sometimes, the victims cannot adequately cooperate with the prosecutors due to the experienced shock, fear, or mistreatment in the prosecutor’s office. During the mid-70s, the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration funded the first Victim/Witness Assistance Projects (VWAPs) in order to enhance cooperation between the prosecutors’ offices and victims (Karmen, 2019). With time, the VWAPs have become firmly established institutions charged with the noble mission of supporting crime victims.
Prosecutor offices can assist the victims of violent crimes through various means. The best practices include psychological help in hotlines and crisis counseling, shelter, food, transportation, and property recovery (Karmen, 2019). In addition, most VWAPs make referrals to local agencies, which provide the victims with long-term care (Karmen, 2019). Furthermore, prosecutor offices offer legal assistance through pamphlets about the adjudication process. Finally, VWAPs mitigate confusion by notifying the victims about indictments, postponements, acquittals, convictions, and other possible developments in the case (Karmen, 2019). As such, the modern prosecutor offices are well equipped for ensuring the victims’ cooperation through legal, psychological, and even financial support.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office serves as a specific example of a well-rounded victim services project. The Victim Assistance Program offers emergency (crisis intervention), legal (court support, orientation in the criminal justice system), and psychological (referral assistance) help (San Diego County District Attorney, n.d.). In addition, victims of violent crimes may receive special reimbursement for eligible losses from the Victim Compensation Board, which is funded by restitution fines (San Diego County District Attorney, n.d.). These reimbursements cover such losses as medical expenses, home security improvements, or outpatient mental treatment, among others. Overall, crime victims in the County of San Diego can rely on decent support from their District Attorney’s office.