Advocate Ensures Victims Know Their Rights

Crime victims advocate Dana Banta works with victims to ensure they know their rights in a case, their role in a case and the available victims' services.

Victims' services include victim notification services after the guilty party goes to the department of corrections. Victims may be notified of anything that happens within that system such as parole hearings or release. Other services include crime victim compensation, which helps cover unexpected medical bills that insurance does not cover. It is a fund set up through court costs, and offenders pay into the fund.

She is also the liaison between the prosecutor and the victim. It is easier for a victim to reach her than the prosecutor, she said, and she can answer his or her questions. She also sets up meetings between victims and the prosecutor. She works out of the prosecutor's office but is under the circuit court. Her position is grant-funded, and she writes the grant that keeps her position funded. It is funded by a federal grant, the Victims of Crime Act.

Banta has been doing this work for 15 years. Prior to this, she had worked for the post office. She had a brother-in-law who heard about the job and thought it would be a good fit, so she applied.

She attends two conferences every year that keep her updated on changing laws and changing victim rights. They are the Missouri Prosecutors and Services (MOPS) conference and the Missouri Victim Assistance (MOVA) conference.

Banta said that, while the job can be difficult, the rewarding part of it, win or lose, is that a victim understands his or her rights.

"That's my goal, is to always make sure a victim understands their rights," she said. "Each victim has their own way of doing things. No two victims are the same. One may want to be at every hearing; one may only want to be there when they have to. You never want a victim to feel pressured."

She said her job is to explain victims' rights so they understand the rights and choices they have.

"The reason I do this is to ensure the victims understand their rights; that their questions are answered. It can be a very long process for some," she said.