KBI Law Enforcement Victim Advocate Program

The purpose of this award, funded under the OVC FY 2019 Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist Program, is to develop or enhance crime victim specialist programs within law enforcement agencies to better support victims through the criminal justice process including connecting them with community-based direct victim services programs to more quickly and more effectively serve them. Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), in Missouri, plans to develop a law enforcement-based victim specialist program. The goal is to hire a system-based victim advocate/specialist that will be brought, at the onset, into select investigations where the KBI is called to assist in a major crime investigation to work with those victims affected by violence. The advocate/specialist will focus on informing victims of their rights as crime victims pursuant to Kansas Statutes Annotated 74-7333 – the Kansas Crime Victims Bill of Rights, quickly refer victims to community-based advocacy programs, assist victims applying for Crime Victims Compensation, and support victims throughout the criminal justice process. CA/NCF