VICTIM SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE I

Job Description:

VICTIM SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE I

Description

Position/Program Information

LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:

Open Competitive Job Opportunity

EXAM NUMBER

A1565H

When to Apply

Applications will be accepted beginning Monday, January 27, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) before 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Friday, February 7, 2025.

Who we are

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting and serving our community and safeguarding the rights of crime victims and the accused alike through an unrelenting pursuit of justice. That pursuit of justice will ensure that not just the result, but the process itself reflects the highest standards of fairness, impartiality, and integrity. This Office will seek to be a leader in bringing safety to our community while steadfastly upholding its legal and ethical obligations to each member of our community.

We are the largest prosecutorial office in the nation. Our office is comprised of nearly 1,000 attorneys, 300 investigators, and 800 support staff. With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation. As the largest employer in Southern California, over 112,000 employees in more than 36 departments provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.

The Bureau of Victim Services provides essential support to crime victims and witnesses in Los Angeles County. Our Victim Services Representatives provide an array of services such as crisis intervention, emergency assistance, counseling referrals, and court escort and orientation, to help victims become survivors.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for individuals with a passion for advocacy and strong empathy for others' experiences. Some aspects of this job are emotionally and mentally challenging. Our ideal candidate is someone who has developed effective coping and self-care skills that allow them to maintain their emotional well-being in their day-to-day interactions with victims and survivors of crime.

Essential Job Functions

Be a voice for those in need

As a Victim Services Representative (VSR) you will have the opportunity to advocate for and make a difference in people's lives. You will receive continuous specialized training to assist children and elderly victims; victims with disabilities; and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, gang violence, homicide, and human trafficking. As part of your training, you will visit the County Coroner's Office; learn about the effects of mass victimization, crisis, and casualties; and closely interact with distraught families of victims and/or survivors of crime(s). You will work directly with victims and witnesses who have experienced physical, emotional, and psychological trauma related to various crimes. Additionally, you may discuss the details and be exposed to images and/or scenes related to traumatic crimes.

When working with these victims and survivors, you will assist them in obtaining various government mandated services, and determine reimbursement eligibility for crime-related financial losses through the California Victim Compensation Board. In some cases our VSRs utilize professionally trained dogs to serve as companions to victims and witnesses, most of them children, when testifying during trials.

The VSR I position is typically a one-year training position. After one year, you will have an opportunity to promote to the Victim Services Representative II position.

For a detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of this job click here .

Requirements

• Two years of experience working in a public or private community services agency providing clients with information about programs and services, obtaining personal information, and assisting them in preparing and completing applications.

-OR-

• Completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter units or more in an accredited college or university with at least 3 courses in fields related to social science (e.g., Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Child Development, or Human Services).

In addition to the requirements listed above, the ideal candidate will possess training and/or experience in the following areas:

• Certification from a major victim service training agency (e.g., National Organization for Victim's Assistance (NOVA), California Crime Victims Assistance Association (CCVAA).
• Associate's degree or higher in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Child Development, or a closely related human services field.
  
• Experience assisting crime victims, witnesses, and/or survivors who have experienced physical, emotional, or psychological trauma (e.g., physical and sexual assault, domestic violence, murder, and child abuse).
• Experience obtaining participation from victims and witnesses in the prosecution of crimes and working with law enforcement.

To receive credit for your education, applicants must attach a legible copy of college degree or official college transcripts showing satisfactory completion of relevant coursework or qualifying degree obtained from an accredited college or university. Documentation may be submitted with your application or within 7 calendar days from the last day of filing. For a detailed description of acceptable documents and submission instructions, please click here . We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst."

If you served in the military and were honorably discharged, you may qualify for Veteran's Credit. To receive this credit, please include a copy of your DD214 form for our review.

License:

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternate method of transportation is required to perform job-related essential functions.

Physical Expectations:

Physical Class II - Light: This class includes positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Additional Information

Our assessment process consists of two parts:

Part I:

A multiple choice and/or simulation assessment weighted at 60% assessing the following: Achievement, Professional Potential, Responsibility, Teamwork, and Following Instructions

MULTIPLE CHOICE AND/OR SIMULATION ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY APPLICANTS PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

Candidates must meet the selection requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on Part I in order to proceed to Part II of this examination.

Part II:

A Training and Experience Evaluation weighted at 40% assessing the following:

• Education and training in related human services areas
• Related experience in a public or private community services agency
• Experience assisting clients and/or victims

Applicants must meet the selection requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on each weighted exam part in order to be placed on the eligible list.

SCORES CANNOT BE GIVEN OVER THE PHONE.

NOTE: All notifications including invitation letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add tmcknight@da.lacounty.gov, exams@da.lacounty.gov, info@governmentjobs.com, talentcentral@shl.com, and donot-reply@amcatmail.com to your email contacts and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.


Transfer of Test Components:

• Applicants who have taken identical components recently for other exams may have their responses automatically transferred to this examination.
  
• This examination contains test components that may be used in the future for new examinations and your test scores may be transferred.
  

Test Preparation
Study guides and other test preparation resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help you preparing for the test, we advise you to review all related materials that you deem necessary.

• An interactive, Online Test Preparation System for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at http://hr.lacounty.gov/ . Please click on "Find A Job" and then "Job Search Toolkit." Test preparation information is located under the "Employment Test Assistance" section.
  
• Additional online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en-us/practice-tests/ . You can also access test preparation for the computerized portion of the test by going to http://www.shldirect.com/practice_tests.html .
  

Testing Accommodation
If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application. Please note, you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.


ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

The names of candidates receiving a passing score in the examination will be placed on the eligible list for a period of twelve (12) months from the date the list is created.

Qualifying Background Check: Due to the nature of the assignment, all positions in the District Attorney's Office are subject to a thorough background check before final appointment is made. For detailed background information as it pertains to the District Attorney's Office, please click here .

VACANCY INFORMATION

The resulting eligible list for this examination will be used to fill vacancies located in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

AVAILABLE SHIFT

Any

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION

Applications must be filed online via NEOGOV electronic submission ONLY. Applications submitted by US Mail, Fax, or in person will not be accepted. To apply for this examination, click on the "Apply" button located on this posting. Your application must be submitted electronically before 5:00 p.m., PT, on Friday, February 7, 2025.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Selection Requirements as listed on this job posting. Provide any relevant job experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.

lmportant Notes:

Please note that all information included in the application materials is subject to verification at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or rescission of appointment. Utilizing verbiage from the Class Specifications and/or Selection Requirements serving as your description of duties will not be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and you may be disqualified.

Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI):
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. We are committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.

NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD:

All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record and will result in an automatic rejection of your application.

Department Contact Name: Exams Unit
Department Contact Number: (213) 257 - 2700
Department Contact Email: exams@da.lacounty.gov
Testing Accommodations Coordinator: TestingAccommodation@hr.lacounty.gov
Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099
Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077
California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: 2/7/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

Salary:

$43,713.84 - $58,848.00 Annually