Placement Description 

Provides support to crime victims

Intern or Field Placement
Responsibilities/Opportunities

• Making phone calls to let witnesses and victims know of status 
• Drafting correspondence 
• Sending information to all parties 
• Sitting in on intakes/learning how to do intakes 
• Attend court to provide support to witnesses 
• Assistance with statistical input for Victim Witness main database 
• Observe trials and various other court hearings

Contact Information

• Contact Person: Magina Melenciano 
• Address: Commonwealth Attorney’s Office 53 Court Square, Suite 210 
  Harrisonburg, VA 22801
• Telephone: 540-564-2115 
• Fax: 540-433-9161 
• E-Mail: mmelenciano@rockinghamcountyva.gov 
• Website: http://rockca.net/victimwitness_services.htm 

Read about students’ experiences at this site below:

Robin Cooter – Fall 2023

The Harrisonburg Commonwealth Attorney’s Victim Witness office works with victims of various types of crimes in  order to gather evidence for the prosecutor and provide various modalities of support. This can range from  updating them on the progress of a case to directing them to community support. Most importantly, they act as a  point of contact for the victim within the local judicial system to provide evidence and seek legal services someone  in their position may need. Namely, they can assist victims with following up on charges and obtaining protection orders. On top of this, they can be there with the victim directly during proceedings and explain the  process to them in real-time. Personally, I assisted my supervisor by observing court proceedings and obtaining  the relevant updated information as the process unfolded, as well as inputting data from these proceedings as well  as those of new cases into the organization’s system. On top of this, I assisted by scanning documents and filing  older ones. Occasionally, I was given the opportunity to help prosecutors by reviewing evidence such as body-cam  footage and phone logs. The staff at the Victim’s Witness office was incredibly friendly and warm. My supervisor,  Magina Melenciano, was always eager to accommodate and ensure that I had what I needed. She was always on  top of the cases she managed and kept me in the loop as to what was going on. Being able to work with her was  one of the high points of the experience. There were many more friendly faces around the office that seemed to  genuinely appreciate me for my assistance that made the experience worthwhile.

This experience is great for anyone who wants to pursue a career with any kind of legal component, as I have a  much greater understanding of local judicial operations than I did at the beginning of the semester. I went in  expecting to mostly be working in a counseling capacity with little to no insight on the operations within the court  system. Throughout the semester, I picked up on a lot of courtroom terminology and knowledge of the process,  from arrests to pretrials to convictions. All of this knowledge feels as though it would be invaluable to someone seeking a career in victim advocacy or forensic psychology in order to get a feel for the courtroom  process. In general, having a better understanding of legal proceedings is good knowledge in itself. While I, myself, did not really have much opportunity to interact with victims, I did observe many emotionally charged individuals  that my supervisor dealt with. Throughout my education in psychology, I have been led to realize that many of  these emotionally charged things people deal with are the result of underlying issues influencing how they react to  certain situations. It has been easy to connect the dots with a number of different cases, both between the  defendant and the victims themselves, how the issues they are currently facing determine their various reactions  to the cases proper. Many aspects of social psychology are on display here while watching the interplay of  expectations and actions in the courtroom as well as between individuals involved in a case. A lot can be gathered  about a situation and relationship by how a victim discusses various details about themselves and the defendant.  While not a direct responsibility, forensic psychology also can be used to interpret what is going on when someone  is called to speak during a trial. Many of the aspects I covered throughout cognitive psychology class became  apparent with how people carried themselves in such a situation.

The victims are often asked “what do you want to see happen with this case?” and one of the most prevailing  answers isn’t judicial punishment, but rather that they simply want the defendant to be given mental health  counseling for their issues. There is a greater awareness of such a need than I had originally anticipated there to  be in today’s society. Which makes it even harder to see such a need go largely unfulfilled with criminal  punishment instead. This experience has definitely given me an in-depth look at the inadequate supply and funding of mental health support in the judicial process, on all sides. I definitely would have liked to engage with the site in a way that made things more accessible to the victims, but being a system that is imbedded into to a local  government, significant change is not in any way forthcoming and barred with many statutes and legislative red- tape. This made it difficult to contribute directly to an office that has mostly immovable foundations. For my  contribution project, I engaged in data collection from victims in order to discern what they sought from the  process and what difficulties they experienced getting it to figure out what could be reasonably improved to ease their concerns moving forward.

In the future, I plan to use what I learned from the experience to better provide guidance of clients dealing with  the legal process, as a victim or otherwise, and attempt to advocate or directly provide support to those within the  legal system. However, I am unsure if I intend to embed myself within the legal system again due to lack of  flexibility and control. I will however be able to direct future advocacy for a more egalitarian system of conduct for  the legal process, for whatever change that might be able to bring. Regardless, I will be able to use the experience to relate to clients, especially victims, facing legal woes. While it was not what I had initially expected  in terms of the type of work and experience I thought I would receive, the information is indeed valuable. It serves as an interesting steppingstone from schoolwork into an administrative setting for anyone who is seeking such a  line of work and allows them to familiarize themselves with such an environment. While I intend to steer towards  client-focused work, I can take what I have learned here into a generalized understanding of conduct and organization. Overall, my impression of the site was a positive one. While it wasn’t what I had expected, the  people were glad to have me and made each day pleasant. Learning about the legal system may prove extremely  promising as a psychologist, especially if you end up dealing with the legal system in any capacity. 

Fall 2022 - Daisy Foncha

For my Field Placement experience, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Harrisonburg Victim Witness Program (VWP). The Victim Witness program is located in the  Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in downtown Harrisonburg.  The VWP mission is to reduce any trauma or confusion that the victim or witness of a crime may be subject to  while involved in the crime justice proceedings by explaining the process and providing additional services you are entitled to as a victim or witness of a crime. Some of their services include protection from further harm and  threats of harm, financial assistance through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund, property return, restitution  for damage, notification of case status information, courtroom assistance and many more. The Harrisonburg VWP  consists of four full time advocates, the Director, Assistant Director, Victim Advocate, and Domestic Violence Coordinator, that work closely with victims in either General District Court (GDC), Juvenile and Domestic  Relation Court (JDR), or Circuit Court. Even though each of position focuses on a single court, with varying victims, they all have the main goal to assist and support victims as they navigate the criminal justice system.

The first few weeks of my internship started with a variety of training modules we were required to go through in  order to be prepared for any interactions with victims. Shortly after, my main priority became shadowing my  supervisor, Magina Melenciano. Magina is the Assistant Director of VWP, so she spends most of her time in GDC  and JDR. As a result of this, I was able to get numerous hands-on experiences in court and with victims. Even  though my focus was shadowing Magina, I was also responsible for organizing victim case files, updating Magina’s victim case information, writing case summaries in the Case Management Information System, and  scanning case files. As I observed Magina, something that really stood out to me was how much she made sure I  was always comfortable before taking me to any court cases and how she always made me feel safe as we  interacted with prosecutors and other Commonwealth employees. After a few weeks of shadowing, Magina gave  me additional opportunities to take initiative and more responsibilities. As a result of this, I was able to sit in on  phone conversations between Magina, victims, and prosecutors, help put together victim's cases with prosecutors,  and attend court with victims or witnesses when Magina was needed somewhere else. Before taking on more  responsibility however, Magina made sure I knew she was there to support me and my learning experience by  letting me know if there was anything I took on that was too much or that I couldn’t handle, it would never be a  problem to ask for less.

Later as part of my experience, I created relationships with some of prosecutors and the Commonwealth attorney’s paralegal as well as the police officers in the office. This was a huge opportunity for me because these relationships gave me access to more inside information about cases that were going on around Harrisonburg and overall, a  more thorough understanding of the legal process. These relationships also gave me access to sit in on upcoming  cases in circuit court that were appealing to me.

Even though working at VWP can be emotionally taxing due to the different reasons victims come in with, this  experience is one that I am very grateful for. As an aspiring Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), I’ve been  taught in multiple courses that I’m going to be interacting with different kinds of people, some with similar stories.  To be the kind of counselor I want to be, I have to work to improve my self-understanding to know what my  potential triggers and biases are. As part of VWP, we are responsible for taking care of victims and being a support  system for them in any way that we can and to me personally, self- understanding can be a great tool. Being a  part of VWP gave me the chance to pinpoint situations or circumstances that were triggers for me. I was also able  to put all the skills I’ve learned on how to talk and how to use my body language when interacting with victims.  Through this process, I was able to identify any subconscious biases I had towards people. This was all beneficial  to me because, given the nature of my future career, knowing my biases and triggers will help me put things into place to manage those emotions in my future workplace and in this current one.

This experience also validated my future career goals of being an LPC because prior to my time at VWP, I knew I  wanted to be some sort of counselor that helped people. However, I always wondered if I could apply my goals to  the criminal side of psychology and the overall criminal system. Since VWP advocates work closely with  prosecutors and judges to provide help to victims or witnesses, I was really able to see how much the careers lined up with my goals. Unfortunately, VWP ins’t the career path for me but only because it deals with the legal system more than I would want in a career but it’s still one I enjoyed being a part of.

During my time at VWP, I encountered a number of victims that came to us looking for protective orders because  of domestic violence issues. The reoccurrence of the issue led to my contribution project of aiming to raise  awareness on domestic violence and providing VWP as an important resource. As I began my research, I found  overwhelming rates occurring on college campuses that I wasn’t aware of which led to the focus of my contribution project being college students. I organized and delivered a presentation to a Greek Life Organization that included relevant statistics, prevalence of domestic abuse, areas abuse occurs, intimate partner violence & domestic abuse on college campuses, and lastly, on and off campus resources with VWP being the main off  campus resources.

My overall time at VWP has been an amazing learning experience because as I was learning about myself, future  career goals and everything else in between, this opportunity gave me the chance to step into the real world. As a  graduating senior with the hopes of graduate school in mind, the next few years of my life are going to be more  than just school. Having the responsibility to do more than just be a student gave me a glimpse into the life I will  be entering soon and provided me with the chance to re-evaluate my skills. Yes, there were times I struggled with  managing everything, but I took it a test of my self-efficacy because in the instances where I was overwhelmed, I  didn’t let that stop me from using this experience as an opportunity to grow and learn. I came out of this  experience with the mindset that the path I’m on may require more than I expected but the work is worth it at the end of the day.

Fall 2022 - Alyssa Bryars

This semester for my field placement I was placed at the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Commonwealth’s  Attorney’s Victim Witness Program. The mission of this site is to reduce the trauma of victimization and encourage  crime victims to cooperate with and participate in the criminal justice system by providing direct services including  information and assistance required by the Crime Victim and Witness rights act. The Victim Witness Program  provides services that help inform and assist victims as they navigate through the criminal justice process. The  court system can often be confusing and overwhelming for victims who have had little experience within it. The  services provided by the Victim Witness Program aim to make the process go as smoothly as possible for victims  and witnesses. Victims who come to the Victim Witness Program can receive services such as education on judicial  procedures and information regarding victim rights. The Victim Witness Program keeps victims informed of  important court dates and provides court escorts in order to give legal explanations and emotional support. The Victim Witness Program is a service available to any victim of a crime regardless of identity or background.  This means that working at this site allows for an experience with many different people from diverse backgrounds from the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Area.

My experience at the Victim Witness Program gave me a well rounded understanding of victim advocacy. My  experiences ranged from shadowing victim interviews, escorting victims to court, or filing victim information  sheets. My typical day often included observing court, helping victims obtain protective orders, or completing any  miscellaneous tasks that were needed by the victim advocates or attorneys.

The site gave me many opportunities to observe various court proceedings. This meant that I was able to get  experience and an understanding of the various roles within a courtroom. I was able to watch trials and observe  attorneys in a range of cases. I was able to assist attorneys with their behind the scenes work such as discovery  and compiling evidence. This informed me on how evidentiary cases are structured and gave me experience in the  type of work that goes into preparing them.

I was also given the opportunity to shadow victim interviews. These meetings consisted of informing the victim or  witness of when the trial is and explaining to them the charges that the defendant is facing. We then ask the victim if they have any evidence they wish to provide and make sure to inform them of their rights and the resources  available to them. Although I did not conduct these meetings myself, observing them was very informative and I  gained a lot from watching how my supervisor engaged with and comforted victims through their court process.

Throughout my time at the Victim Witness Program, I often provided victims with court escorts. This entails going  along with a victim or witness or court. Being there alongside a victim while they are in court provides them with  emotional support, as well as gives them someone to ask questions if they become unsure about something  happening with the legal proceeding. I found these experiences to be some of the most valuable that I had at my  site because I was able to be a comfort to victims and hopefully remove some of the negative emotions they were 
experiencing.

One advantage to this site was that it is located in Downtown Harrisonburg. This meant that there was not a lot of  time required outside of hours for commuting back and forth. This site also provided experiences to learn things  outside of the typical realm of psychology. It gave me opportunities to learn about the legal field and grow in  professional and administrative skills. The site also serves a wide demographic of people so I had the opportunity  to work with and serve many diverse people that I personally do not work with often at JMU.

When I began my placement at the Victim Witness Program, I was debating between pursuing law school or going  on to work with nonprofits after JMU. My experience at the Victim Witness program allowed me to have experience  working closely with attorneys. I was often discussing case material or organizing evidence for prosecutors. While  at my placement I also often had the opportunity to sit in on court and observe various different sorts of legal proceedings. This gave me a greater understanding of the legal field and the sort of work that prosecutors do. My site also gave me the opportunity to observe my supervisor and other victim advocates meeting with  victims. Through this, I found that I really enjoyed getting to make a personal connection with clients and see them get the help that they need from start to finish. Through my experiences at my placement, I was able to decide that I want to pursue non-profit work following graduation and potentially pursue a career as an attorney later on.

I think the psychology major prepared me to be successful, not through facts or theory, but through being  prepared to work with many different people and handle many different situations. The psychology major prepares  you to read people and understand them in a very unique way which was very useful in a professional setting.

For my contribution project, I wanted to create something that could be used by my site and other resources in the community to proactively inform people about the ways they can avoid Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This ties  into what I discussed in my paper because there are many instances of domestic violence and IPV that are seen by the courts. These cases come with many difficulties and nuances. I wanted to create a resource that could  potentially reduce these abusive relationships from forming preventatively as well as provide information on resources for where to go for assistance in our area. To do this, I created an infographic on Canva. This  infographic includes a description of IPV and its prevalence, tips for how to avoid relationships that could lead to  IPV, and information on local resources for people who may need assistance to get out of an abusive situation. For  this project I also wanted to work with the Victim Advocacy Center at JMU because I felt like they would be a good  resource for spreading information about how to avoid relationships that could lead to IPV to the JMU and Harrisonburg communities. Many times when individuals come to the Victim Witness Program they have  already experienced IPV or domestic violence, so I wanted to connect with a resource that could inform people of  how to avoid these situations before they occur. Earlier this semester I met with a few victim advocates from JMU  and got their permission to use them as a referral as well as send them my completed infographic to be given out  to the JMU community. This infographic was shared digitally by the Victim Witness Program as a resource for the  greater Harrisonburg/Rockingham County community to be informed about IPV.

Spring 2022 - Katherine Powell

The goal at the Victim Witness Program (VWP) is to reduce any trauma or confusion victims or witnesses may  experience as they go through the criminal justice process and provide resources for them. The Victim Witness  Program is located in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in downtown Harrisonburg. I had the opportunity to  complete my field placement experience here this past semester, spring of 2022. At VWP, there are four advocates  who help victims in different courts and different types of victims. There are two advocates normally in Juvenile  Domestic Relations court (JDR), one advocate in General District Court (GDC), and one advocate that normally  goes to Circuit Court. While these advocates work in separate courts, with different types of victims their main goal is to help and support these victims as they go through the criminal justice process. Services that VWP provides to  victims include supporting and attending court with the victim, case status updates, help on obtaining information  on a case, helping victims file a claim through the Virginia Victim Fund, helping victims receive protection by  obtaining a protective order, helping victims with restitution, and helping victims with referrals. These are the main services provided by VWP, but there are others as well. The advocates at VWP go above and beyond for their victims.

For the first few weeks of my site my supervisor, Magina had me shadowing her and the other advocates. I was  fortunate to be able to attend my site on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are the main court days for Juvenile  Domestic Relations (JDR) court. One thing I love about Magina is she really just wanted me to learn and make the  most out of my experience. She saw that I enjoyed going to JDR court, talking to the prosecutors, and observing  the criminal justice process. Because of this she had me work more with the JDR advocates Krystal and Cindy and go to court with them most days. I am so grateful for this and it was my favorite part of the internship. Over  time, I was about to meet with victims, go to court by myself for protective orders, take notes on cases, fill out  paperwork on cases and protective orders. If I wasn’t in court Magina would have me do various administrative  work. I also would help the prosecutors on cases, this would include listening to jail calls or watching bodycam  footage and taking notes for them. I enjoyed doing this as well and enjoyed the opportunity to be able to help  work on cases, even if it was just a small task.

As I said above a big advantage of this internship is the opportunity to make it your own. Magina gives you the  freedom to explore what interests you and will answer any questions you have. Another advantage is being able to  attend court and meet with victims. Getting this hands-on experience is very beneficial especially if you want to go  into this line of work. You can learn so much about the criminal justice process just by observing court, more than  you can in a classroom. A disadvantage could be the emotional aspect of the job that could be triggering to some.  As horrible and sad as some of the cases we see are, I was able to handle it well. Some people may not be the  same. If things like domestic violence or sexual assault are triggering or difficult topics for you this internship may  not be for you. It is so important to have compassion and empathy for these victims, while not becoming overly  emotional. We hear some really hard things, and these victims go through so much. Another disadvantage is  sometimes the victim does not get the justice they deserve. The outcome of a case is not always in the victim’s  favor, if the defendant is found not guilty. This can be extremely disappointing, but for me it only motivates me  more in my future career to change these outcomes for future victims. Those are the two biggest disadvantages of  the internship, but other than those there are so many amazing opportunities at this site.

This internship had a major impact on my career goals. At the beginning of this internship I had just applied to  graduate schools for forensic psychology and criminal justice, still unsure exactly what I wanted to do. I thought  about working in advocacy or something along those lines. Very quickly into the internship I learned how much I  liked being in the courtroom. I also learned how much I enjoyed interacting and talking to the prosecutors about  their cases. I loved watching the prosecutors in their own world during trials. I have so much respect for everything they do at VWP and everything the advocates do, but I do not think I want to become an advocate.  Instead I realized I want to become a prosecutor. Even after getting accepted into graduate programs for criminal  justice and forensic psychology, I realized that is not the path I want to go down anymore. Instead I am starting to prep for the LSAT and apply to law schools in the fall. It took this internship to make me realize what I want to do  and I am so grateful for that.

I am a psychology major and criminal justice minor. I was able to take aspects of both to this site. I took a class on victim advocacy, which was taught by Nicole Terrell, the director of VWP. I remembered everything the class  covered as I interacted with victims on a day to day basis. The psychology major helped me be more  compassionate and understanding when working with victims. I also think my experiences in the major helped me  establish that professional relationship with my supervisor and other employees in the commonwealth attorney’s  office. I have worked with professors in the past, including being a teaching assistant. I feel like those experiences  helped me understand what it is like to be a professional working with others.

For my contribution project, I focused on the lack of resources and knowledge about the criminal justice system  experienced by immigrants, refugees, and non-English speaking victims. Because Magina works with Spanish  speaking victims, she was able to provide me with a lot of information from her personal experiences. I wrote a  research paper exploring these topics. For my practical contribution to my site I made brochures of frequently  asked questions and terms used in court in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Kurdish. These are the three most  common languages spoken in Harrisonburg other than English. Magina sends out letters to her victims and normally puts brochures in them, my goal is to be able to have her put these brochures in as well, especially  for the Arabic and Kurdish victims that do not have many resources available to them.

Overall, I am very grateful for this experience and to Magina, for giving me the freedom and opportunity to learn. I will never forget my experience at VWP and all the advocates there.

Fall 2021 - Grace Johnson

I had the opportunity to intern at the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Victim Witness Program (VWP) during the  Fall 2021 semester as my introduction to fieldwork experience. The Victim Witness Program is a non-profit  organization that is located at the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County General District Court on the second floor. The VWP is overseen by the Office of Commonwealth's Attorney in Harrisonburg, VA. The VWP’s mission serves to  “reduce any trauma or confusion that the victim/witness of a crime may be subject to while involved in the criminal justice proceedings by explaining the process and providing additional services.” In the VWP, there is the Director,  Assistant Director, and Victim/Witness advocates. The VWP oversees and assists victims in General District Court  (GDC), Juvenile and Domestic Relation Court (JDR), and Circuit Court. The team works closely with each other and with prosecutors, police/investigators, and even defense attorneys when advocating for their victim in any  crime. The VWP team truly makes an impact on the victim/witness during their time in court.

During my internship, I had the opportunity to work primarily with the Assistant Director, Magina Melenciano.  Because I was an Intro to Field Work student, I only had to get 80 hours instead of the 150 hours required by field  placement. I worked roughly 8 hours a week, in which I spent about 2.5 hours at my site two days a week and 3  hours at my site one day a week. Despite my days being short, I learned so much from my supervisor, Magina, and the rest of the staff at VWP. For the first few weeks, I observed the duties of VWP staff members. I shadowed Magina in GDC and Cindy and Krystal (victim/witness advocates) in JDR. When I shadowed Magina in  GDC, I observed her oversee protective orders, traffic cases, and assault and battery cases. When I observed  Cindy and Krystal in JDR, I also watched them oversee protective orders and assault and battery cases. Their  primary duties were to talk to the victim and receive input from them, provide support to the victim in court,  explain the next steps in the process, and provide additional resources. When shadowing a VWP member, I was  able to see the impact that they were making on the victim/witness's time in court. I was also able to see the  judicial process in action. This was a great opportunity for me to understand how and why our criminal justice functions the way it does. During my shadowing experience, I observed civil procedure hearings, bond hearings, trials, and much more.

Working with the VWP gave me a lot of hands-on experience. During my shadowing experience, my main priority,  at the time, was working in the office. I had to copy paper information for Magina’s folders, enter information into  the Client Information Management System (CIMS), and send out letters to the victim notifying them of their  upcoming date and status of their case. After a few weeks of shadowing, Magina allowed me to become more  handson and handle more responsibility. Before sending me off to work on my own, she assured me that she would be with me every step of the way, and she was open to questions if I had any. She gave me the confidence to step  into this role of greater responsibility and take on more work. I had the chance to speak with victims one-on-one,  speak to prosecutors about a victim’s case, and attend court procedures with the victim/witness. Despite my  minimal contribution to the victim’s case, hearing a victim say “thank you” was the most rewarding experience of  my internship. Interning at the Victim Witness Program has been the most rewarding experience of my college career. One of the advantages of working at the VWP is the open and friendly environment. Everyone was  welcoming and kind to a 20-year-old college student who had no law experience. The VWP staff members were not only accepting of me, but the prosecutors, defense attorneys, secretaries, judges, and police officers were all  welcoming as I became a weekly presence in the courtroom. Despite working in what many may consider to be a  serious and particularly hostile environment, the adults that were a part of the court-style life were very kind to  me, which made me feel less intimidated. Another advantage to working in the VWP is the impact that you can make on someone’s life. Despite working more behind the scenes, I could tell each day that my subtle work  had the potential to make a positive impact on someone’s time in court. The “thank you” that I got standing next  to Magina, Cindy, or Krystal is what made me love this internship so much and what I believe will make others love this internship too. My favorite part of working at VWP was seeing that no two days were alike. Showing up every  week was different from the last and the week before. Every day that I worked showed me something new about  the criminal justice system and the work of a VWP staff member. No two cases were the same, and no two days  working at the VWP were the same. I am extremely grateful for that and the experiences I was able to gain every time I came to work.

Though there are plenty of advantages to working at the VWP, there are some aspects of this internship that may  not be suited for everyone. There is a huge emotional aspect to working in this program and attending court. This  type of emotional labor can be taken home after a day of court and can stick for a little longer than wanted. Many  of the victims with whom I worked went through horrendous things, and it truly takes courage for them to come to court and speak of it. This internship will expose you to the dark side of crime and how it really takes a toll on people mentally, emotionally, and even physically. It is impossible to predict how someone may act in court, and  some of their acts may be emotionally triggering. It was also upsetting when a case did not go the way that I  wanted. When I attended court, I had to read up on the case file, and at times, I would get a little emotionally  attached to the case given the sensitive nature of this work. I rarely left my internship upset or angry, however, I  did find myself at times thinking about my work while at home.

Despite the heavy nature that comes with the duties of working at the VWP, I would not change this experience for the world. Magina supported me throughout my time and became a huge part of my enjoyment for this internship.  My time working at the VWP helped me grow into who I am as a person. It helped me to become more  independent, confident, empathetic, and supportive. I would not have been able to grow into those qualities  without Magina and the other staff members of VWP. I not only was able to learn to grow into myself as a person,  but also educate myself on our criminal justice system. I am now a more enlightened, educated citizen in understanding how crime is affected and can affect our criminal justice system and our proceedings. Through  working at the VWP, I gained a lot of “behind the scenes” knowledge of the effort and time needed for a case. Not  only would Magina answer any questions I had, but the prosecutors in the office were very welcoming to answering my questions about procedures in court and how or why a case went the way it did. Overall, this experience taught me a lot about myself, my capabilities, and our criminal justice system.

After seeing the impact of the work of VWP members, I have decided that I want to pursue a career in the victim  assistance field. I originally came to the VWP wanting to pursue a career in studying and analyzing criminal  behavior in the FBI. Now, I would like to pursue a career that can make an impact like a victim/witness advocate. I would not have switched my career field if it was not for the VWP and the staff members that have made a lasting  impact on me. I now would like to pursue a career in the Victim Assistance department of the FBI. This internship  is a step in the right direction for anyone wanting to choose a career in the criminal justice department or advocacy services.

Fall 2019 – Kayla Shaw

At the Victim Witness Program (VWP), the goal is to reduce any trauma or confusion by explaining the criminal  process. They also assist victims by providing services that people are entitled to as a victim or witness of crime.  The Commonwealth’s Attorney oversees the Victim Witness Program, which is a non-profit organization, located at  the Rockingham and Harrisonburg Judicial Center in downtown Harrisonburg. The VWP provides courtroom assistance in General District Court (GDC), Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court (JDR), and in more  severe cases Circuit Court. The team that makes up the VWP is the Director, Assistant Director, Victim/Witness  Advocates, and Domestic Violence Coordinator – each of these positions work in different courts and with different  populations; however, they each contribute to the same purpose of helping the people who use their services through the justice system. Working with this team has shown me the connections between the VWP,  police/investigators, and attorneys with the common goal of better serving the Rockingham and Harrisonburg community.

Some of the services the VWP provides include victim input such as preparing a victim impact statement or  presence in a courtroom; notification of case status information, prisoner release information, case developments,  and reminders of when to appear in court; protection during court proceedings and further harm from an offender; and financial assistance through restitution or the Virginia Victim Fund. The VWP is also able to provide community resources that they partner with. They work closely with housing services and shelters, counseling options, legal  assistance, and JMU resources. These examples are a few of the things I was able to observe firsthand or interact  with as an intern at this site. Some on the intern responsibilities and experiences included attending court, filing  case summaries, sending notification letters, meeting with victims, and filing or scanning documents.

When I first began my experience at the VWP I was mainly observing my supervisor Magina when working with  victims. I learned a lot of the behind the scene work which benefited me when I slowly was given more  responsibilities and tasks as an intern. Some of my first tasks included writing case summaries, scanning electronic copies of case files, and inputting information into the Case Management Information System. Eventually I was  able to call or speak with victims directly, contact them through phone or mail about their upcoming court dates,  and meet with victims one-on-one during their court hearings. Magina was very good about using the scaffolding  teaching method during my time at this site. This enabled me to incrementally improve the work I was doing until I could do it with little assistance. Being able to do the administrative tasks first allowed me to interact more  intentionally with victims later. I was able to obtain and understand more information about cases and how to  better communicate the process that victims or witnesses were going to go through because of this instructional scaffolding.

It has been a joy and a privilege to work at this site! Some of the advantages include working directly with the  advocates on this team. In this environment I felt comfortable asking questions when I didn’t understand  something. I also felt that I was able to be genuine and have fun while remaining professional. My supervisor  Magina was very encouraging and wants the best for the interns she works with. She is able to give us the extra  push we need to step out of our comfort zones. Another advantage of being at this site is they work very well with  your schedule. During my semester at this internship I was also a full-time student, working a part time job, and  an Exec member of an on-campus organization. Before even starting my internship, they worked around my busy  schedule. One thing to keep in mind when planning your schedule for your time at the VWP is to keep Monday’s  and Thursday’s open if possible. During these days I was able to attend court which was probably one of my  favorite parts about this site. You learn so much about the justice system when observing it for yourself.

Some of the disadvantages include the emotional aspect of working with people who are victims of crime. Some  may be physically or psychologically hurt and coming to the VWP fresh out of those situations. Other times while in court victims may see their offender or evidence that may be difficult to sit through and you must be there for  them. A frustrating part of the criminal justice process is when an offender may not get what the victim feels they  deserve. There have been times where I have left court with a victim who was visibly upset with the way the  hearing went. The most difficult challenge for me was seeing that anyone can be a victim. We work with all races,  genders, levels of education, and different SES. There is no “type” when it comes to these situations and I think  working at this site has influenced what I want to do in the future.

Although I find the legal aspect of victim advocacy very interesting, I don’t see myself pursuing a long-term career in this field. I am currently planning on earning a Master’s degree in Social Work and hope to become a Licensed  Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I have always known I want to serve others as a career, working at the VWP has  just solidified my passion for service. Through this internship I have developed administrative skills, learned more  about the legal system, and have gained confidence in working one on one with people in tough situations. I would highly recommend this site because of the impact you can make on the Harrisonburg community, and the impact  that members on the community can have on you. Field placement is an awesome opportunity to gain real world  experience while being an undergrad student. This has been a very humbling and eye-opening experience, and I’m looking forward to applying all that I’ve learned to my future career.

Fall 2018 – Samantha Baccaro

The purpose of the Victim Witness Program is to reduce the trauma of victimization and increase the witness  cooperation in prosecuting cases and the mission statement notes it is “designed provide federal crime victims and  witnesses with information, services and support during federal prosecution. Our office is committed to ensuring  that victims and witnesses of crime are treated fairly throughout their contact with the federal criminal justice  system.” The program is comprised of the director, assistant director, domestic violence coordinator, and victim/witness advocate. These four roles work closely with the prosecutors, as well as other services for  victims of domestic violence, such as First Step. As stated in their mission, the program strives to provide their  clients with all the resources they need for surviving a crime, such as financial assistance, housing, and retribution. The program also divides its time between the General District Court (GDC) and the Juvenile and Domestic  Relations Court (JDR). GDC primarily works with victims or witnesses who are not related to the offender. Whereas, JDR focuses on those who have been a victim or witness of a crime from a family or household member. I was  fortunate enough to be able to learn approaches of being a victim/witness advocate from those these perspectives.

At this site, I was able to interact with victims one-on-one and support them in filing for protective orders or during their court hearings. I would often intake case files and contact victims to notify them of court dates and the  program’s role in their case. After receiving a protective order, I would input the case summary into the Case  Management Information System. On a case by case basis, we would meet with clients in the office to discuss their options and obtain information on the incident for the prosecution’s case. Since the victim’s safety is our main goal, it was important to keep the client’s information confidential and have an open line of communication between all  of those involved. I was also able to gain knowledge of the court system through observation and organizing the  weekly docket. I observed many different aspects of the judicial process from first appearance hearings to trials  and how important victim cooperation is to an outcome of a case. This was one of my biggest takeaways from field placemen: learning the different ways victims are involved in the system.

One of the many advantages at my site was working with passionate advocates and learning from their empathy  and patience when they worked with victims. It was also helpful to have two supervisors, both with a great amount of experience, who encouraged me along the way to be able to complete novel tasks and trusted me with their  daily objectives. If I had to choose a disadvantage, I would say the only downfall to this line of work is the extreme amount of patience one must have when working with difficult clients. I saw firsthand how handling a case with an  uncooperative client becomes very challenging and my supervisors demonstrated each time with perfect  professionalism and self-composure how to handle those situations. There were few limitations to my education  because I was allowed a great deal of freedom at my site after the first few weeks and was able to grow a lot from  there. The only restriction was that my time there was limited to two days a week and ended after a quick  semester. I truly wish I got to see many of the cases through and was able to witness their outcomes.

I certainly learned a variety of skills from this experience, many of which are applicable to my future and career  goals. The court system is way more intricate than I originally imagined and interning at the Commonwealth  Attorney’s Office has taught me in-depth about the judicial process and courtroom organization and procedures. I  realized there are many different components and players to a courtroom and cases have to be heard in a certain  fashion. Ultimately, I chose the Victim Witness Program because I thought it was the perfect intersection between  psychology and law. A skill useful to both of these sectors is interpersonal communication and this is something I  built upon a lot at the program. I was able to be more relatable and use different forms of communication  depending on whom I was speaking with. To add, I grasped much of the legal jargon often used in the courtroom  and this will be directly influential to my goal to become an attorney.

After having such a positive experience, I wanted to contribute something meaningful to their program. The Victim  Witness Program and First Step spearheaded a project in collaboration with the county prosecutor of juvenile and  domestic relations and Harrisonburg Police Department’s domestic violence unit. The idea was to create a  comprehensive report for the responding officers to intake details of the incident at the scene of the crime.  Adopted from the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA), this report will aid each agency in providing services for victims based on historical information of both the victim and offender and their relationship. It is  designed to be simple and quick for officers to effectively intake during a difficult, traumatic situation for those  involved. Police departments, prosecutors, legal advocates, and emergency shelters are primarily charged with  providing services and protection to the victim from their abuser and a risk assessment is necessary to provide  safety for these victims.

Overall, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to intern for the Victim Witness Program this semester. In  addition to gaining practical experience in the field I hope to go into after college, I also learned a great deal of  professionalism, organization, and case management. I also learned greater empathy, humility, and perseverance  that are bound to be useful for any path I take. I will forever remember this experience that outlined a profession I look forward to becoming a part of and those that helped me gain as much knowledge as possible and made this internship worthwhile.

Fall 2017 – Christina Shulman

The Victim/Witness Program (VWP) is a non-profit organization that operates within the Commonwealth Attorney’s  Office in downtown Harrisonburg. The program’s main mission “to reduce any trauma or confusion by explaining  the criminal justice process and providing the services entitled to a victim or witness of a crime.” Their team is  made up of a Director, an Assistant Director, a Domestic Violence Coordinator, and a Victim/Witness Advocate.  They all work closely with the attorneys and private investigators that work within the Commonwealth’s office. The  program provides important services to victims and witnesses of crimes who are working their way through the  justice system. A majority of the cases that come through the door are victims who are trying to obtain a  protective order. The VWP helps victims fill out the necessary paperwork to obtain an order, and also accompanies  and preps clients for court. Additionally, the VWP networks with other local Harrisonburg agencies in order to  provide victims with the proper resources that they may need to help them through the process. Resources may  include, but are not limited to, financial aid, housing, and counseling.

I am so thankful for my time at the VWP. Both my supervisors and all of the staff were so good to me, and I felt so welcomed from day one. At first, I was very nervous because I felt very unqualified for the job, but there were so  many opportunities to gain hands-on experience. Knowledge of the field and how it operates really comes from just running through the system every day and practicing, and I was glad that my supervisors trusted me enough to let me in on their work and projects. After a lot of observations and questions, Magina and Krystle allowed me to  really take the lead on a lot of things. I crafted and sent out case notice letters, and was allowed to run through  the entire new case process from start to finish. I created new victim files, and actually called and spoke to victims to confirm details about their case and to let them know about the process. I was eventually allowed to prep the  victims for court, and on a few occasions, was able to approach the bench to be there for our clients as they spoke  to the judge. I was always very nervous and unsure of myself and my abilities, but Magina and Krystle were always so supportive and really believed in me. I also enjoyed the opportunity to attend networking events with  local resource agencies. It is truly a wonderful feeling to learn that our little town has powerful forces to provide  the best aid they can to those most in need. I used this newfound knowledge to educate others about our  resources through my contribution project. Additionally, I had the opportunity to attend Juvenile and Domestic  Relations court on Thursdays, and follow along with the docket. I have learned so much about how our justice  system runs and how all of the different players of the court work together and interact. I feel like I have a much  better grasp on what our system looks like, and furthermore, how much help it needs as well.

There were definitely more advantages than disadvantages at this field placement site, in my opinion. I was really  lucky having supervisors as supportive and encouraging as Magina and Krystle. I have nothing but respect for the  work they do, and their willingness to share what they have learned with others. They were so accommodating  with my schedule, and they taught me so much about our system and how to navigate providing services to our  clients. They were so good at teaching me through scaffolding, and allowed me to ask as many clarification  questions as I needed to eventually feel comfortable enough to run through the process on my own. Another advantage would be that no one day is the same! This field placement site is perfect for someone who  wants a new experience each day, with new stories and clients coming through the door. The only disadvantage  that comes with that is sometimes the day’s caseload depends on if there are actually clients seeking help or files  that come through our door. So while there might not always be a client to work with, there is always a project to  work on that really helps out the office as a whole. Mondays and Thursdays are also really important days to be  available for court, and I wish I had known that earlier because I would not have scheduled classes that day. That  being said, I did craft an “Interested Interns” brochure, so future students will know that those days are important! The only other disadvantage is that the nature of the work can be extremely draining. While each day you hear so  many new stories about client’s experiences, the stories are of people going through some of the worst  experiences of their lives. While it is important to be empathetic and compassionate for your victims, it is also  important that you remember that you are there to help them without getting too emotionally invested. I found myself pretty burnt out early on in my experience, and it was because I was not allowing myself to really  decompress after each day. It was only when I learned to employ certain self-care techniques that I began to feel  better about my work. That all being said, when a victim sincerely thanks you after you helped them receive a  protective order that will keep them and their children safe from their abuser, it makes the bad days not seem so  bad.

My experiences at VWP have solidified in me that social work is indeed my true path. While I do not see myself  continuing my work within a legal context, I am excited to pursue a Master’s degree in Social Work, so that I may  continue to provide important services to those in need. Through my work with the VWP, I have learned that even  a small action could have a great impact on a client’s life, and I want to continue giving back to patients with  severe mental illness by working within a treatment team. I have learned that helping someone through the rough  times in their lives, whether it is through the criminal justice system or through mental illness, involves a lot of  moving parts. My work with the VWP has trained me to be able to navigate such a course with ease and  confidence.

All in all, I am extremely thankful for my experiences at the VWP. It has set me on a career path, and has taught  me so much about the prevalence of domestic violence and about our court systems. I am glad to have been a  part of helping victims through those systems, and providing them with the resources they need to escape abuse  and to be able to have a better life. I will remember everything I have learned, and all I have been through. I will  use that knowledge and those experiences to aim to be the best social worker I can be, and to continue providing services and help to those in need.

Fall 2016 - Madeline Palkovitz

The Victim Witness Program (VWP) is a non-profit organization that is housed in the Commonwealth Attorney’s  Office in downtown Harrisonburg. Its mission is to “reduce any trauma or confusion that the victim/witness of a  crime may be subject to while involved in the criminal justice proceedings by explaining the process and providing  additional services.” The Victim Witness Program mainly assists victims who are attempting to obtain a protective order, and individuals going through the legal process who are victims of criminal charges. They serve  victims from Rockingham County and Harrisonburg City of all age, gender, and race. These individuals can range  from having been married to their offender for many years, to not even knowing their offender. The Victim Witness Program is made up of a Director, Assistant Director, Victim/Witness Advocate, and Domestic Violence Coordinator.  Although each of these individuals mostly work with a specific gender or age group, they all offer the same  services to victims.

I am exceedingly grateful for my experience at the Victim Witness Program. My first day I was given a tour and  introduced to all of the VWP workers, attorneys, paralegals, and the judge. I remember feeling slightly out of place when they asked what I was studying in college and I replied “Psychology.” This feeling became more pronounced  when I sat in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court after the tour and could hardly understand the terms being  said and what was happening. Thankfully, this feeling did not last long due to the hands-on experience I was  quickly given. My supervisors Magina and Kim did a great job of gradually immersing me into their program. In the beginning, I accompanied Magina or Kim when they met with a victim seeking a protective order. I observed the  appropriate way to act, questions to ask, and information to give to victims. After some time, Magina and Kim  allowed me to facilitate the conversation with victims while they were present, so they were able to help me if I  had a question or did not know how to handle a situation. Once they felt that I had acquired the knowledge and  skills, I was able to perform information intakes for victims by myself. This process entails meeting the victims,  getting their contact information, and finding out the details of the situation that occurred to make them seek a  protective order before they went in front of the judge. I was there for support and to prepare them for what to  expect in court. When they were called before the judge, I accompanied them to help alleviate their anxiety. Once  finished, I would explain the outcome, and any additional steps they needed to they. Having the opportunity to  help victims escape and start their process of healing was incredibly humbling. On Thursdays, I spent a full day in  Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, which I really enjoyed. I observed the first appearances in the morning,  followed by protective order hearings, followed by trials. Typically, I knew what types of cases I would see because  I often created and organized the docket for office-use. When I went to my site but did not attend court, there  were many other things around the office for me to do. I often made initial contact with victims through phone calls or letters to offer our services. I also called victims regarding updates on their cases. Sometimes when  criminal charges were pending, I would attend meetings between victims and the prosecutor to determine how the  trial might progress. I also entered information into the client/case management computer systems. Thanks to my  field placement site, I fully understand the process of obtaining a protective order, have a much better  understanding of our court system, and know how to help victims through the process of escaping.

In my opinion, the advantages of this site completely outweighed the disadvantages. I could not be more  appreciative of the staff at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Victim Witness Program. My supervisors,  Magina and Kim, were two of the most accommodating people, and they truly wanted to help me learn and grow.  They were very patient with me when I asked many questions, and gave me the perfect amount of responsibility.  This site is perfect for people who like routine but also may become bored doing the same thing every day. The  underlying process followed is typically consistent, but because every victim had a different story and different  circumstances, I never lost interest or engagement. Another advantage of this site is being able to make  connections with the judge, prosecutors, and police officers that work at the courthouse. Interacting with these  people on a daily basis made me feel much more comfortable with law enforcement and the court system.  Observing court was one of my favorite aspects of this internship because it was extremely interesting, and it  made me realize how much I previously did not know about our judicial system. Sometimes I found it to be  emotionally challenging when I felt that the judge’s sentencing was not fair. I also had a hard time when a victim  would come in to drop a protective order or would choose to dismiss it at the permanent protective order hearing.  It was frustrating when victims, especially ones I had previously worked with, did not follow through with the  process. This was hard for me to accept because I was aware of the horrible situations they faced, and was worried that they were coerced by their abusive partners to drop their protective order. I could see a disadvantage of this site being that there is not as much psychological work as other field placement sites; however, I did not find  this to be a problem because I was given the opportunity to constantly support victims. I truly enjoyed helping  victims escape their undesirable situations and knowing that I made a difference in their lives empowered me.


At VWP, I learned how to support and work with victims of many different types of offenses. I also learned of the  many resources available to help these individuals. The knowledge I gained from my site is particularly applicable  to daily life. My newly acquired knowledge from my site experience allowed me to be a huge support system to a  close friend that is currently facing relationship abuse. She told me that unlike others she had talked to, I  acknowledged that there are many more factors than what meets the eye that contribute to victims having trouble escaping abusive relationships. She felt understood by me, and I made sure to not victim-blame.

Prior to my field placement I was considering attending law school, but I have since ruled out that career path.  Time at VWP has confirmed my interest in the court system, but it has made me more passionate about helping  victims. Although I am still unsure of my career path, I am certain that I want to serve a supportive role in a  helping field. The Victim Witness Program is an amazing site because it has given me the opportunity to make a  huge difference in individuals’ lives. Victims need support when escaping unfavorable situations and VWP answers their cries for help. This site has the power to make or break someone and ensure their welfare and safety.

Spring 2016 – Tiffany Palmer

The domestic violence coordinator of the Victim/Witness program for Harrisonburg/Rockingham County goal is to  help domestic violence victims through the process of the obtaining protective orders and supports them as they  go through the criminal process. The victim/witness advocate’s job is to provide information and support to victims of crimes. The domestic violence position focuses on women who have been victim of assault and battery by a family or household member. Victims of domestic violence survive in a complex environment of physical,  emotional, and psychological abuse. It is the job of the victim witness advocate to help a victim through the  process and connect them to services that they may need. The advocate helps aid the victims though the process  of getting protective orders and going in front of the judge. Being an intern, you have the same responsibilities to  the victims that come to the office.

In my time at the victim/witness program I was able to interview victims to collect information about the victim  and the issues they have experienced before they went before the judge for a protective order. I also escorted  victims to court and sat with them if they needed me to. I did filling in the office and worked on projects for the  attorneys. As with any intern positon there is filling and paperwork that take up a lot of time at the site. The office  work was not just filing but also helping attorneys sort out evidence and pulling case files discovery motions. I was also able to make connections with other lawyers, the judges, and the sheriff deputies.

Getting to help victims was extremely rewarding. As an advocate we get the chance to make set the victims up for  a successful separation from their abusers. The legal system has ways of helping victims of any crime, this is  typically done with restitution, or payments for damages. With the domestic violence program, there can be this  type of help needed but the most work we do is to help the victim know that they are not alone and that the legal  system is looking out for them as long as they take the initiative. If the victim does not want to go through with  the criminal charge they are still required to base on policy. This can be a difficult concept for victims to  understand so a key in the advocates job is assuring victims that is it better for them to go through the process  then to lie and face the possibility of jail time. The protective order is something the victim has complete control  over. This control can be essential for showing a victim that they have the ability to take control of their situation.  The psychological abuse these victims experience can twist the way they think of their abusers. As advocates, we  are not there to give them counseling, but we are there to listen and talk to them about their options. Thursdays  are the main day you need to be in the office because that is the day the domestic violence cases are heard in  court. Every day is different and you can never really know how a day in court will go. The other cases that are  happening in court are typically very interesting.

A frustrating part of the position was having to work with victims who did not want to go through with the process  and would return to their abusers. This positon does not have as much active psychological work as other  placements but this position will give you a unique perspective of the judicial system. If court is not something you are interested, this may not be the best placement for you.

The office is full of wonderful people that are willing to help you find your way around the office. The lawyers and  other advocates are happy to answer questions and explain things you may not understand.

I am going to law school and this placement has allowed me to log a lot of court time to observe other lawyers and get to see how they handle cases. Every case is different, every day in court is different, and every victim is  different. No day is the same experience as the day before which makes this placement very interesting. There is  some down time in this positon, some days are slower than the other days. I learned how to be comfortable talking to victims and interacting with members of the legal community. I have also learned how to operate within an office setting.

If you are thinking of going into law this is a great placement to get firsthand experience with the inside of a  courtroom. This is not a placement for you if you want firsthand experience with the psychological side. There is  very little psychological work involved in this placement but if you are Justice Studies and Psychology double major or a criminal justice minor then this is a great placement for you. Unless you want to go into forensic psychology,  then Western State would be a better fit.

Overall I enjoyed every minute of my time with the victim/witness program and the experience really solidified by  understanding of domestic violence victims in a way that classes alone could not provide. I plan to take the things  I have learned this semester and continue to work towards helping other victims and to work to improve the legal  systems ability to help domestic violence victims and better handle the offenders of such crimes. I also hope field placement students will continue to choose the victim/witness program because it is such a rewarding  placement to be put in. I defiantly encourage anyone on the fence about doing field placement to consider the  opportunity because no matter where you are placed, you will have an experience that will not regret. The field  placement class is a great opportunity to take what you have learned over the last three years and apply it to the  real world in ways that you cannot get in any class.

Fall 2015 - Mariah Longmore

The Victim Witness Program’s mission is “to reduce any trauma or confusion that the victim or witness of a crime  may be subject to while involved in the criminal justice proceedings by explaining the process and providing  additional services.” One of the most important services that the agency provides is offering the victim emotional  support during a protective order hearing. The Domestic Violence Coordinator stands between the victim and the  offender during the hearing, so the victim does not have to interact with her abuser in any way. The Victim Witness Program is housed in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in downtown Harrisonburg, and it advises victims on  what to expect during the court process and clears up misunderstandings that victims may have in moving forward with a protective order. It also can recommend services that victims may utilize if they feel that they need further  help. These services can include counseling services, halfway houses, or child support services. This was an excellent site for my field placement experience.

I had typical intern work, like unstapling old files that my supervisor would scan to the court’s file database  eventually. I also spent a good bit of time filing closed misdemeanor, felony, juvenile, and probation violation  cases. This was tedious at times, but I expected this kind of work, as this was an internship. Regardless, I was  given many opportunities to further my knowledge of the legal system. For example, I attended court on a weekly  basis. The judge presided over the court’s docket, or schedule, on Thursdays and protective order hearings were typically on Friday. I preferred to attend protective order hearings because these tended to be more  interesting. The victim gave her account of the incident and the abuser’s interpretation followed. The judge would  then give his verdict on the protective order. These hearings were sporadic, so I was in court for about thirty  minutes on Fridays. On Thursdays, however, I spent a few hours in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations courtroom. Most of these cases were first appearances, meaning that their purpose was to assign the offender an attorney and schedule a future trial date. The first appearances typically involved assault and battery charges as well as probation violations. My most memorable experiences were meeting with victims.

As a victim advocate, I was a pillar of support to validate the strength of the victim for stepping away from a  physically and psychologically abusive relationship. The most rewarding experiences were seeing a permanent  protective order – which is extended for a period of two years – granted against an abuser who clearly did not care about the victim. For example, some abusers would look condescendingly at the victims throughout the hearing,  even though they were supposed to focus on the judge the entire time. It was a relief to see that these men would not be able to terrorize their victims any longer. The victim could finally begin her recovery from this abuse  that caused her pain for too long. Interning at the Victim Witness Program was a wonderful experience.

I was immersed in the legal system this semester, which was more than I could have hoped for in my first  internship. I was grateful to be given the opportunity to interact with victims, and although filing became  monotonous at times, I do not regret choosing this site. I do wish that I had asked for more opportunities to work  directly with attorneys, for example, while I worked here. This was the main piece of advice that I was given  before beginning field placement at the beginning of the semester. Regardless, I will leave with many memories of  this internship.

One of the things I liked most about working at the Victim Witness Program was my supervisor, Magina  Melenciano. She is one of the warmest and most welcoming people that I have ever met. She helped me with any  questions that I had – even when I had to ask them multiple times throughout the semester. She was extremely  flexible with my schedule and even insisted on sharing her lunch, even after I said that I was waiting to get back to campus for lunch. Magina says that she considers her interns her “adopted children” and that even after I have finished my hours; I am welcome to call her for anything. My other supervisor, Nicole Terrell, was extremely  friendly and helpful too and I wish that I had been able to work with her as closely as I did with Magina. Both of  them made this experience extremely enjoyable.

I was ecstatic to be given the opportunity to work at the Victim Witness Program this semester. I am a Criminal  Justice and Psychology double major and knew that I wanted a career that integrated the two majors, but I was  not quite sure of what I wanted to do with them. I have never felt more passionate about my work than I did while interning here and observing the interaction of the victim advocates, attorneys, and judges. One of the most  important insights that I learned while working here came from a fellow intern, Lisa.

I told her about my apprehensions for potentially applying for law school because I have never been good at  arguing and thus do not trust myself to argue for someone either to be sentenced to jail, or to get out of a jail  sentence. In response, Lisa told me that law school would teach me to argue. This was such simple and seemingly  obvious advice, but I had never thought of it in that particular way. I thought that since I was not adequate at  arguing, I had no hope of succeeding in law school. Her advice made me step back and reconsider law school.

Although I do not know if want to be a lawyer, this advice as well as my field placement experience (and my math  score on the GRE) made me consider law school, a potentially very different career path, more seriously than I  ever have before. I am extremely grateful to have had the chance to work with such inspiring people and in such  an enlightening environment this semester. The knowledge that I now have in the legal system has made me feel  more equipped to work in the legal field, or even to apply to law school in the future.

Spring 2015 – Caroline Morris

The Victim Witness Program is an organization that strives to reduce any trauma or confusion that the  victim/witness of a crime may be subject to while involved in the criminal justice proceedings by explaining the  process and providing additional services to all persons in Rockingham County and Harrisonburg City. The victim  witness office is made up of three coordinators who perform an array of duties, including preparing all victims and  witnesses for the court days, attending court with the victim and explaining any dispositions from the court that  apply to that victim/witness’s particular case. Along with this, the Victim Witness Program works closely with those  in the community who are seeking out a protective order, by advising them of the protective order process,  attending court with them and referring them to any additional services they may find helpful in their situation.

My duties while I was an intern varied depending on the day that I was present and the workload that my  supervisors had at the time. Typical days would include opening and reviewing new cases where a victim was  involved, this included identifying the relationship between the victim and the offender, documenting any injuries  sustained from the altercation, describing the disposition that the victim would like to see come out of the case and determining whether or not a protective order should be issued given the circumstances. Every time the domestic  violence coordinator in the Victim Witness Program works with a victim, I would fill out a Victim Stat Sheet, which  is used to document the demographics of the victim and offender and is necessary for the grant funding that our  office receives. I would also assist my supervisor in creating the docket for the court cases that were heard in the  Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on Thursday mornings and afternoons, by creating an excel spreadsheet  that included defendant names, charges, prosecutors, witnesses, and defense attorneys information.

My favorite aspect of my internship was the time I spent doing court observations in the Juvenile and Domestic  Relations Courtroom. Depending on the day of the week the types of cases that were heard in this court differed,  but everyday was an excellent opportunity to learn about the court processes. On Thursdays, the judge heard the  cases that I specifically worked on with the Victim Witness Program, which was incredibly interesting to see the  work you had been doing applied to this setting.

I believe that one of the reasons I enjoyed this field placement as much as I did, was the work that I was able to  do with the victims and witnesses themselves. Some of the women that I worked with were scared, frustrated, or  confused by what was going on in their lives, and my ability to offer them support and comfort was an incredibly  rewarding experience for me. Along with this, as I mentioned earlier I thoroughly enjoyed court observations  specifically on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. I found myself following cases during my time with this office and being impacted by some of the outcomes of the cases.

I knew coming into this field placement that I wanted to go to law school, and this site helped me solidify that  choice. Everyday that I was in the office or in the courtroom I was retaining invaluable knowledge about the  judicial process that I am confident I will be able to apply to my future career. I learned a tremendous amount  about the stages of court proceedings, what is necessary to prove a crime has been committed and what each  person’s role is in the courtroom given their job title. Each and every aspect is critical to any attorney’s career and  I feel lucky to have had this exposure.

I believe that this field placement site would be best suited for someone who intended to work in the criminal  justice field in some way. Whether it is as an attorney, criminal psychologist, or any other career choice, I believe  that a student would get the most out of this experience if they were interested in pursuing a career that related to the judicial process. I also want to point out that you will get the most out of this field placement by seeking out opportunities. There is always someone in the office who could use your assistance, so I recommend to anyone who is an intern in this office to go and ask the attorneys or paralegals if they know of any projects or interesting  cases on the docket that week. Overall, this placement offers an incredible learning experience and I would highly recommend it.

Fall 2014 – Maddie Bernstein

The Victim Witness Center aims to aid victims and witnesses of domestic violence in the Rockingham County and  Harrisonburg City regions. Essentially, when an individual experiences domestic violence in these regions, and  either calls the police, or presses charges themselves, they are sent to the victim witness center to be prepped for  their court dates, and referred to any other resources in the area that may be of help to them (such as counseling,  women’s shelters, etc.). Additionally, any time someone files for a protective order against another individual in these regions, they are automatically sent to the victim witness center to be advised of their next steps within  the court process. Victim Witness coordinators also attend court on protective order days, or when certain victim’s  cases are on the docket in order to provide moral support, and to help explain to the victim or witness what the  court proceedings mean.

Generally, my internship at this site consisted of opening new cases, and providing moral support to victims  awaiting their court case. For example, when a new domestic violence case comes into the Commonwealth  Attorney’s office, it would be my job to go through the police report and the existing file, and find out information  such as: what happened on the day/time of the incident at hand, is there any history of abuse, what does the  victim want the results of the trial to be, is there any protective order issued/does the victim want one to be, were  there any physical injuries/medical bills, and were there any children involved. I would compile all of this information onto one sheet that is easily accessible for when we are in court and need to know certain  information about the case at hand.

Also, when new files are opened, I would fill out a VSTOP grant sheet. This is basically a victim statistics sheet that we have to fill out for every case that comes through the Victim Witness program. Then we send the quarterly  statistics into the VSTOP program, and they give the office grant money to continue the program. When the office  was slow, I would organize files and help the paralegals with their research. It was really interesting to be able to  read through old case files—especially considering the caliber of cases that the Commonwealth Attorney generally  deals with.

On certain days of the week, I would go to court to assist with protective order hearings. Often times, the women  that we assist were extremely emotional or scared or confused and just needed someone to be with them and  explain the process to them. So I would sit in the victim witness room with them and talk to them about court  proceedings, while trying to assure them that things would be all right, and they were doing the right thing by  testifying or pressing charges.

This was one of the things I really enjoyed about the site. I liked having one on one interactions with victims and  witnesses, because it really allowed me to utilize some of the skills I have learned in my psychology classes over  the past couple of years. Also, I really enjoyed sitting in court. Although it may sound boring, it was quite  interesting to be able to watch court proceedings. While I do have experience working with offenders and  defendants, I was never able to experience the court end of things, so I feel like this really has rounded out my experiences, and viewpoint of the justice system.

One thing that I was not too fond of was that my supervisor sometimes didn’t have enough work to share with me.  I wish I had more chances to work with other employees in the Commonwealth Attorney’s office, and  experience more aspects of the job. That being said, I think that maybe I just needed to be a bit more proactive  and ask around the office if anyone needed help. After hearing about how much responsibility some other students in the field placement class were given at their sites, I definitely wish I could have been given more at mine.

Being at this site has made me think a lot about what I want to do after graduation. I have kind of been in  exploration mode, and not really set on anything regarding career goals or further schooling. However, this site has made me really consider the idea of law school, and I think it could be something that I look more into in the near  future. Also, I have been toying with the idea of doing research or clinical psychology, but this site has pretty much solidified my feeling that I do not want to do that anymore. I know now that I want to be in a career that has something new to offer me every day, while I can still give my time to help those in my community and give  back what I can. I feel like my goals have narrowed a bit, which is one of the major things I was looking to get out  of Field Placement. Additionally, I know that I have made so many contacts and connections with people in the  courthouse as well as in the Commonwealth Attorney’s office—any of which may help me find a job in the future.  This placement has opened me up to a new aspect of the judicial system, and I am now all the more curious to  investigate more, and search out any other opportunities it has to offer me.