What Does a Victim Advocate Do After a Homicide?

The Advocate Who Can Help You Navigate the System

Most homicide families do not learn about victim-witness advocates until days or weeks into the investigation — if they learn about them at all. A victim advocate is a professional assigned by the prosecutor's office or a law enforcement agency whose job is to guide crime victims and their families through the criminal justice process. They are not your attorney, not your therapist, and not a detective. They are the person who translates the system for you when you are too traumatized to decode it yourself.

In states with Marsy's Law or similar victim-rights protections, legal next of kin may have rights to case notices, attendance at public proceedings, and a chance to be heard. The law where the case is handled determines which rights apply and who may exercise them. The victim advocate can help you understand and use those rights.

What They Actually Do

Before an arrest:

• Explain the investigation process — why detectives cannot share certain details, how long forensic testing takes, what the pending death certificate means for your insurance claims
• Connect you with emergency resources: crisis counseling, temporary housing if the crime scene is your home, food and transportation assistance
• Help you file a Crime Victim Compensation application and navigate the paperwork
• Coordinate with law enforcement to issue no-contact advisories to media outlets if reporters are harassing your family
• Assist with safety planning if the perpetrator is unknown or at large

After an arrest:

• Notify you of every court date, change in the defendant's custody status, and plea negotiation
• Walk you through what to expect at each hearing so nothing blindsides you — the arraignment, preliminary hearing, pretrial motions, trial, and sentencing
• Help you prepare and deliver a victim impact statement
• Accompany you to court proceedings and sit with you during testimony
• Request protective orders or no-contact conditions as part of the defendant's pretrial release

During trial:

• Explain courtroom procedures, the roles of the judge and attorneys, and what defense strategies to expect
• Ensure you are seated appropriately (many courtrooms have designated areas for victims' families)
• Coordinate with the prosecutor on your behalf when you have questions or concerns about case strategy
• Help you understand the verdict and sentencing options

After sentencing:

• Register you for notifications about the offender's custody status — parole hearings, transfer between facilities, release dates, or escape
• Connect you with long-term support services and peer groups
• Assist with restitution collection if the court ordered the defendant to pay

How to Get One Assigned

Do not assume an advocate will be assigned automatically. If no one has contacted you, or you need support sooner, contact the prosecutor's office or responding law enforcement agency:

1. Call the District Attorney's or State Attorney's office in the jurisdiction where the homicide occurred. Ask for the victim-witness assistance unit.
2. Call the law enforcement agency handling the investigation and ask the lead detective for the advocate's contact information.
3. Contact VictimConnect (855-4-VICTIM) — they can help you locate the correct office and navigate the request.

Some jurisdictions have both a law enforcement-based advocate (who assists during the investigation phase) and a prosecution-based advocate (who assists once charges are filed). You may work with both at different stages.

How to Work With Your Advocate Effectively

Your advocate supports you while working within a system that has constraints. Getting the most out of the relationship:

Designate one family member as the primary contact. The advocate cannot effectively communicate with six family members who each have different questions and emotional needs. Choose your law enforcement contact person and route all advocate communication through them.

Ask specific questions. Broad questions ("What's happening with the case?") get broad answers. Specific questions get useful information:

• "When is the next scheduled court date, and what will happen at that hearing?"
• "Has the defendant's bail or custody status changed?"
• "What is the deadline for submitting our victim impact statement?"
• "Are there any CVC benefits we have not applied for yet?"
• "Can you help us request that the judge impose a no-contact order covering social media?"

Understand the boundaries. Your advocate cannot share confidential investigative details, influence prosecutorial decisions, or act as your attorney. If you need legal representation for a civil wrongful death claim, your advocate can refer you to the National Crime Victim Bar Association, but they cannot provide legal advice themselves.

Tell them what you need. Advocates are trained to anticipate needs, but every family's situation is different. If you need help finding a therapist who specializes in traumatic bereavement, say so. If you need someone to explain the sentencing guidelines before the hearing, ask. If you need help drafting a media response because true crime podcasters are covering your case, that is within their scope.

When the System Fails You

Victim advocates vary in quality, caseload, and responsiveness. Some are overworked and carrying dozens of cases. If your advocate is not returning calls or providing the information you need:

• Escalate to their supervisor at the prosecutor's office
• Contact your state's Attorney General's victim services division
• Reach out to a community-based victim advocacy organization (these operate independently from the prosecutor's office and can sometimes provide more personalized support)

You have rights under your state's victim-rights laws. If those rights are being violated — you are not being notified of hearings, you are being excluded from proceedings, the defendant's release conditions are not being enforced — your advocate is your first recourse, but they are not your only one. The available court-enforcement options depend on state law; ask a lawyer whether a private attorney can assert your rights in court.

Our After a Homicide guide includes a complete list of questions to ask your victim advocate at each stage, plus communication scripts for requesting case updates from both your advocate and the lead detective.