A Victim Advocate (VA) is a person who advocates for victims of crime inside and outside of the courtroom. They do not legally “represent” victims in the sense that attorneys do but play a very important role in a victim’s journey through the criminal justice system. Victim Advocates can assist victims with completing and submitting paperwork and impact statements for court hearings and can act as a liaison to notify victims of hearing dates and times. There are Victim Advocate positions associated with government organizations or community organizations. South Carolina law requires that police departments have Law Enforcement Victim Advocates (LEVAs) on staff to work with victims after a crime has been reported. The Solicitor’s Office Victim Advocate will advocate for crime victims if and when the case is given to the Solicitor. The Department of Probation, Pardon, and Parole and the Department of Corrections have their own VAs who work with crime victims. In addition to statutorily-mandated VAs, nonprofits may have their own VAs who can guide crime victims through the criminal justice process.