About This Course

Participants will be prepared to work in victim advocacy arenas, such as domestic violence shelters, crisis centers, crisis hotlines, and with state and county governments to assist crime victims in progressing through the criminal justice system and toward successful recovery. Course topics include legal terminology, legal process, legislation regarding victims rights, jurisdiction and venue, ethics, effects of victimization on the victim, victim advocate skills, guardianships and crisis intervention. It also covers counseling skills for victims of assault, battery, robbery, domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, murder and homicide.

Lesson 1: This first section focuses on legal terminology and the legal process, theories of victimization, effects of crime on victims and guidelines for responding to victims of crime and trauma. Crime victim statutes will also be discussed.

Lesson 2: This section covers crisis theories and the role of the crisis interventionist. Students will learn how to respond to crisis situations, understand the actual nature of the crisis, assess the victim’s situation, and implement effective listening skills to determine the best support system for the victim.

Lesson 3: During this section, students will learn the facts and myths regarding domestic violence, crimes against children, sexual assault, and related crimes. Discussions will include restraining orders, basic police procedures, guidelines for assisting those dealing with the death of a loved one, and the role of the victim advocate. Job search strategies and placement possibilities will also be discussed.

A high school diploma or GED is a prerequisite, but students will be expected to complete a significant amount of homework and pass two exams.

Assist Crime Victims

This is a course on the rapidly growing field of victim advocacy and assistance.

Participants will be prepared to work in victim advocacy arenas, such as domestic violence shelters, crisis centers, and crisis hotlines, and with state and county governments assisting crime victims in progressing through the criminal justice system and toward successful recovery.

Training in this area will prove to be rewarding to your career possibilities in the area of law enforcement and crime victim advocacy.

National Advocate Credentialing Program  National Organization for Victim Assistance

Successful graduates of our training program will be eligible at minimum for the NACP Provisional Credential and possibly for the Basic, Intermediate or Advanced Credential based upon their experience in the field. Please refer to the NACP link for additional information: https://www.thenacp.org/pre-approved-trainings-by-location/
  • Online
    $995

Course Schedule

Please call 1-800-522-7737 or email [email protected] for more information.

The Victim Advocacy Certificate Course is offered in the following formats:

Online$995

The Center for Legal Studies features in an online format the Victim Advocacy Certificate Course that has been offered for over fifteen years at colleges and universities throughout the nation. Through the computer, this course is available to students who desire a flexible study schedule that retains weekly deadlines.

  • View the Course Syllabus
  • Review the material as many times as necessary for full retention of the information.
  • Benefit from interaction with the instructor and other students by way of email and a discussion board.
  • Complete the online course in 7 weeks.
  • E-mail assignments and exams on the course web site.
  • Once registered, your password and access information will be sent in time for the start of class.

Highly Recommended Legal Resource:

  • WESTLAW legal research access. Please call 1-800-522-7737 for more information. Order online

Required Course Textbooks

Recommended Course Textbooks