15.760 Staff of Commonwealth's attorneys -- County's duty to provide grand jury and witness rooms -- Victim advocate. - Kentucky Statutes

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Page 1 of 2 15.760 Staff of Commonwealth's attorneys -- County's duty to provide grand jury and witness rooms -- Victim advocate. (1) Each Commonwealth's attorney shall, during the calendar year 1977 and through June 30, 1978, be entitled to at least the number of assistant Commonwealth's
attorney positions, stenographic, secretarial, and clerical staff positions, and
investigative and other personnel positions, which he had or was entitled to at the
number and salary level in effect on December 1, 1976. (2) The number of assistant Commonwealth's attorney positions, stenographic, secretarial, and clerical staff positions, and investigative and other personnel
positions, shall be based on real need to be determined with the advice and consent
of the Prosecutors Advisory Council. (3) All assistant Commonwealth's attorneys shall be licensed practicing attorneys. The full-time assistant Commonwealth's attorneys shall not be allowed to engage in the
private practice of law. (4) All salaries paid to personnel appointed hereunder shall be paid from the State Treasury. The salaries shall be commensurate with the appointee's education,
experience, training, and responsibility, and be based upon the guidelines
established by the Prosecutors Advisory Council, which guidelines shall be
comparable with the classification and compensation plan for comparable positions
maintained by the state Personnel Cabinet, pursuant to KRS 64.640. (5) The fiscal court, consolidated local government, or urban-county government in the county or counties that comprise the judicial circuit shall be responsible for
providing the office of the Commonwealth's attorney with an adequate grand jury
room and witness rooms. (6) (a) Each Commonwealth's attorney shall be authorized to employ individually or jointly with one (1) or more other Commonwealth's attorneys at least one (1)
victim advocate to counsel and assist crime victims as defined in KRS
421.500. (b) An individual employed as a victim advocate shall be a person who by a combination of education, professional qualification, training, and experience
is qualified to perform the duties of this position. The victim advocate shall be
an individual at least eighteen (18) years of age, of good moral character, with
at least two (2) years of experience working in the human services field or
court system in a position requiring professional contact with children or
adults, who has:
1. Received a baccalaureate degree in social work, sociology, psychology,
guidance and counseling, education, religion, criminal justice, or other
human service field; or 2. Received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, and, in
addition to the experience required in this subsection, has at least four
(4) years' experience working in the human services field or court
system. Page 2 of 2 (c) Each Commonwealth's attorney who employs an individual to serve as a victim advocate shall develop a written job description which describes the
duties of the position and shall ensure the victim advocate completes training
relating to the appropriate intervention with crime victims, including victims
of domestic violence and victims of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation or
other crimes against the elderly. Each victim advocate shall perform those
duties necessary to insure compliance with the crime victim's bill of rights
contained in KRS 421.500 to 421.530. No victim advocate shall engage in
political activities while in the course of performing his duties as victim
advocate or the practice of law as defined in KRS 524.130. The creation and
funding of any new personnel position shall be reviewed and approved by the
Prosecutors Advisory Council. Effective: June 20, 2005
History: Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 132, sec. 12, effective June 20, 2005. -- Amended 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 346, sec. 7, effective July 15, 2002. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts
ch. 154, sec. 6, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 189, sec. 1,
effective July 15, 1996. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 264, sec. 1, effective July 15,
1994. -- Created 1976 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 17, sec. 13.