Overcoming Challenges to Serving Rural Victims

The suggestions offered in this section can help rural victim service providers overcome the obstacles encountered as they try to maintain a successful victim assistance program. Many factors can influence the ability of a prosecutor's office to help victims of crime. Services can be aided or compromised by a jurisdiction's geography and demographics, its state law defining victims' rights and the provision of services, funding availability, community resources, and office priorities.

In spite of many challenges, most prosecutor-based victim assistance programs in rural jurisdictions that were surveyed feel that their efforts are successful. Their success is defined by doing the best they can with the resources they have. With the support of the chief prosecutor—who in many of these jurisdictions was the force behind the creation of the victim service positions—small victories are achieved every day, and many victims receive the services they need.

"Promising Practices in Rural Prosecutors' Offices" further explores the innovative strategies that rural offices and jurisdictions have incorporated throughout the country.