Victims' Advocate

The Law Enforcement Victim Advocate is often one of the first to respond to a crime scene to assist victims and survivors. During this critical time victims may experience a wide range of feelings and emotions.

As an advocate, we can assist in many ways:

• Provide emotional and moral support
• Conduct on-scene crisis intervention and grief & bereavement counseling
• Act as a liaison between victim, deputies, detectives, and community-based agencies
• Identify and inform victims of their rights under the law
• Educate law enforcement and victims of new laws pertaining to specific victimization
• Provide information about professional counseling and support groups
• Offer assistance with filing crime victim's compensation to help with lost wages, medical, counseling, and funeral expenses
• Help prepare victims for court injunction hearings, provide court advocacy and accompaniment
• Provide transport to court, referrals to emergency shelter, and safety planning.
• Assist victims in obtaining cellular phones for 911 emergencies
• Provide information regarding current status of cases

The Jones County Sheriff's Department has two victims' advocates. Deputy Kelsey Breland is our Violence Against Women (VAWA) advocate and Deputy Melisa Kelland is our Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) advocate. If you need victim assistance, please call 601-425-3147 and ask to speak to one of these advocates.