Our History

In April of 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first "National Victims' Rights Week," and by 1982, the Task Force on Victims of Crime recommended the U.S. Consitution to guarantee Victims' Rights. In 1984, the passage of the Victims' of Crime Act (VOCA) established the Crime Victims' Fund to support state victim compensation and victim service programs.

Crime in Idaho touches us all. When one person hurts, we all - as a state - suffer. It is the job of the Criminal Justice System to protect, support and serve out communities. Most citiznes do not learn about the Criminal Justice System until they become victims of crime - the worst possible time to try to understand the complex roles and responsibilities of each of the "players" in the system.

The public has gained a better understanding of the impact of crime on victims. As a result of assertive advocacy, crime victims have gained many rights within our Criminal Justice System.*

Published as a Public Serice by the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance.

The Victim Advocate Program

This Victim Advocate Program was developed in July 2000, by the Boundary County Youth Crisis & Domestic Violence Hotline (BCYCDVH) program. Recently the name has been changed to Boundary County Victim Services. By establishing the Victim Advocate Program, the BCVS is better able to be available to assist all victims of crime. We work in Boundary County with the Procesuting Attorneys, the Boundary County Community Justice, the Sheriff's Office, and the Bonners Ferry City Police to give information to all victims as they work their way through the legal and court systems.

The Victim Advocate Program provides support, information education, and referall service to victims and their immediate families, witnesses, and survivors. Addititonally, our advocate is available to assist with restituation calculations, applications to the Crime Victims' Compensation Program, impact statements, victim rights education, court escort, and overall support.

Role of the Advocate

Provide moral support to develop confidence necessary to use institutions rather than be used by them.
Help the victim identify his or her own needs and preferred outcomes.
Provide assistance in identifying the victim's own strengths and resources, as well as the barriers to acheiving his or her own goals.
Assist with information to learn how the system works: its rules, structures, and procedures, including its limitations.
Help generate and explore all available options and possible consequences.
Assist in developing strategies and formulating clear rquests for action.
Faciliate rehearsal of selected actions.
Assist in documenting requests for action and the institutional responses received.
Assist in re-formulating strategies or developing new ones if initial efforts fail.
Assist in identifying other options or advocates, when strategies fail.