Meet some of our victim liaison team
Sofia, Victim Liaison Officer
Sofia, Victim Liaison Officer
Sofia
'I love working as a victim liaison officer. I find it rewarding especially when you hear from victims how helpful they find you in what could be a very difficult time in their lives.'
My background
I studied law at university and have always had a passion for it. I worked in the NHS and knew it wasn’t where I saw myself long term. One day my daughter asked me what I wanted to grow up to be when I was a child - that and the encouragement from my friend gave me the push to apply for the career in law I hoped for.
My inspiration
I always wanted to work in an organisation that helps make a difference in people’s lives, and I feel the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does just that. I love working as a victim liaison officer because, although it can be challenging, I find it rewarding especially when you hear from victims how helpful they find you in what could be a very difficult time in their lives.
My typical day
As a victim liaison officer, I write letters to victims explaining the decision or any changes in the case that they need to be aware of, based on information from the lawyers. In a typical day, I can work on up to nine letters which are then reviewed by my manager - before being finalised to send out. We also receive phone calls from victims who may have concerns or questions about their case. If we're unable to answer the query, there is always help at hand from the wider victim liaison team.
My advice to you
If you're thinking of joining the CPS, I would advise you to go for it! Everyone is very supportive of you and your development. There is always someone at hand to help. And you don’t need a background in law to be successful in the CPS as there are numerous opportunities to learn as you go along. I actually look forward to work on a Monday morning.
Ellie
'We are often talking to people who have never experienced the criminal justice system before. Helping them understand what is going on through such a difficult time makes me really feel like I'm making a difference.'
My background
Before I joined the CPS I did an undergraduate degree in politics and international relations. During my degree I focused on gender-based violence, gender security, particularly around male victims of wartime sexual violence. I realised I wasn’t into ‘traditional politics’ and found my niche exploring gender and sexuality within the field of security studies. I then did a master's degree in international security and terrorism where I was able to delve deeper into similar kinds of issues. During this degree I researched the child sex tourism industry as a security dilemma. I was also working on a research project surrounding male and transgender victims of forced sexual exploitation and had an article published about this. My degrees always focused on victims, particularly people facing marginalisation, and their experiences with security, insecurity and politics.
I think this background drew me to working in the victim liaison Unit, as I knew that I wanted to help people through the system. I still find it very rewarding. It has also been great to get such hands-on experience with the justice system and how that affects victims.
My inspiration
My role is definitely difficult, but being in a victim focused job is so rewarding. We are often talking to people who have never experienced the criminal justice system before. Helping them understand what is going on through such a difficult time makes me really feel like I'm making a difference. The CPS itself is also a great place to work, and I have met so many lovely people.
My typical day
In the victim liaison unit, we typically write letters to victims explaining the decision that has been taken in their case, normally decisions to stop the case or alter the charges, and we handle any enquiries that the victims may subsequently have. There are several jobs we need to do to keep communications running smoothly, such as triaging lawyer’s requests for letters, proofing letters to ensure that they're ready to be sent to victims, performing checks to ensure that it's safe to send letters to victims of domestic abuse, and of course writing the letters themselves. It is a very busy unit.
My typical day usually starts with a big coffee and logging on to proofread all the letters that the team are writing. I look at each letter to check that it meets the expected standards. I check through the case as well to make sure all the details in the letter are correct, before providing feedback for improvement or sending to be printed and posted. It is definitely a lot of reading but it's never boring. If I am not proofreading letters, I'll be triaging the requests for letters or writing letters myself.
My biggest learning
Advice I would give to any new starter is: don’t be afraid to ask questions. The CPS is full of incredibly supportive people who only want to see you succeed and do the best work you possibly can. The CPS is a big organisation, with plenty of opportunities to learn new skills and gain new knowledge.
Ellie, Victim Liaison Officer
Ellie, Victim Liaison Officer
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