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Description: Unpaid

The Victim Services Division focuses on providing crisis intervention services to victims of crime, at the time of the incident, and also provides advocacy services within the courtroom for victims who are involved, as a victim, in the criminal justice system. Our agency educates victims on beneficial resources within Pima County and centralizes its services around supporting and empowering victims of crime.

Interns will provide crisis intervention services and offer resources, including information about victim rights, to victims of crime and other community members of Pima County on scene or in the courtroom setting. Interns will also observe law enforcement out in the field, shadow and assist staff advocates in the court system, assist during crisis intervention trainings (summer excluded), and complete telephonic surveys to clients served by the Victim Services Division of the Pima County Attorney’s Office. 

Objective of Services

To support and empower victims of crime while enhancing intern’s crisis intervention skills and knowledge of community resources.
 

Internship Available

• Summer
• Fall
• Spring

Deadlines

Applicants are required to commit, for at least 1 year and attend either a spring or fall crisis intervention training prior to being accepted as an intern. Please contact us 6 months prior to your intended internship start date.

Internship Duties

Crisis interns will respond at the request of law enforcement to work with victims of crime, conduct safety planning with victims of intimate partner domestic violence, use police radios and county crisis equipment. Court Interns will attend court hearings and assist victims who are present in understanding the criminal justice process. 

Interns will utilize the ABC model of crisis intervention, inform victims of their rights, and educate victims of relevant resources in the community. Interns will communicate openly with other volunteers and staff members, complete required documentation, and record their hours to ensure their time commitment is met. Interns will also assist during training classes, ride-a-long with various law enforcement agencies, and observe staff advocates in office settings. (Other duties as directed) 

Optional opportunities include shadowing an advocate in trial from Jury Selection through its conclusion with Jury Verdicts (whenever possible), Participating in a ride-a-long with your choice of law enforcement agency; 

Expected Outcomes

 Interns will be experienced in dealing with crisis situations and will have a working knowledge of how to respond effectively. They will be well versed in community resources and equipped with tools to assist victims of crime in Pima County. Victims will be informed of community resources available to them in order to be able to better cope with crisis situations. Victims will be empowered by being provided with choices and supported if they continue through the criminal justice system. 

Expectations

1. Accumulation of necessary hours for desired internship, as recorded and monitored by the intern.
2. Crisis Interns – minimum of 20 hours on the crisis unit per month. Court interns – minimum 4 morning calendar shifts per month.
3. All - Shadowing 2 hours of advocate case management at least once during the internship. 
4. Attend and assist during 3 basic academy classes.
5. Crisis Intern: shadow one Morning Calendar/Arraignments shift a month (minimum of 2 hours each). Court Intern: shadow one Crisis shift a month (minimum 5 hours each).
6. Shadow AOD at least 2x during your internship (minimum of 2 hours each).

7. Complete 2 hours of Victim Survey Calls a week (during regular business hours 8:00am-5:00pm; M-F).

8. Open communication and flexibility

Benefits

Building professional relationships with agencies in Pima County including law enforcement and staff within the Pima County Attorney’s Office. Strengthened communication and crisis intervention skills, 65+ hours of crisis intervention training with certificates provided, and opportunities to assist and respond to mass casualty/national disasters/large scale crises incidents. Interns will also be notified of free or low-cost training opportunities. 

Agency Qualifications (minimum)

Available Days and Times: Crisis Interns – shifts available: Monday - Sunday 6:00am-5:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm, and/or 10:30pm-6:00am; Court Interns – shifts available: Monday - Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

Required Time Commitment: Minimum 20 hours per month for Crisis Interns/4 shifts a month for Court Interns, or as deemed necessary to earn designated internship credit through the educational institution.

Required Training: Intern must be a current volunteer victim advocate; successfully passed an in-depth background check, and completion of the basic and advanced crisis intervention training and its probationary period. 

Required Skills: Competence with the ABC model of crisis intervention, excellent communication skills (oral and written), passing of PCSD/TPD radio codes and boundaries test, interest in victimology and crisis intervention, polite and professional interactions with the community and other criminal justice professionals.

Additional Helpful Skills: Knowledge of cultural differences, mentoring, and familiarity with local resources. Additional languages are also a plus!

Possible Risks: Interacting with sensitive material detailing victimization, exposures to crime victims’ trauma responses, and direct interaction with the public on scene immediately following a crime (blood, bodily fluids – PPE will be provided) – all of which can trigger trauma responses related to personal experiences of the intern. 

Expected Outcomes: Interns will be experienced in dealing with crisis situations and will have a working knowledge of how to respond effectively. They will be well versed in community resources and equipped with tools to assist victims of crime in Pima County. Victims will be informed of community resources available to them in order to be able to better cope with crisis situations. Victims will be empowered by being provided with choices and supported if they continue through the criminal justice system. 

Agency Qualifications (preferred)

Must be at least 18 years old and be able to pass a criminal background check. All training will be provided.

How to Apply

To apply for the VS internship, call or email Clarissa Flores (520) 724-5659 or Clarissa.Flores@pcao.pima.gov 

All individuals interested in volunteering/interning with the Victim Services Division are required to attend a 2 hour information session held in August and January of each year.

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