The Jones County Sheriff’s Department is commemorating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 19-25, and helping raise awareness about crime victims issues and rights. This matters to residents of Jones County because according to the most recent National Crime Victimization Survey from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, the latest year for which statistics are available.
“The Jones County Sheriff’s Department is fortunate to have two victims advocates on staff to assist victims of crime” noted Sheriff Joe Berlin. “These two dedicated public servants, Deputy Priscilla Pitts and Deputy Regina Newton, work closely with crime victims to ensure their rights are protected throughout the processes involved in the criminal justice system.”
Pitts is funded under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant and specifically works with victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and dating violence. Newton is funded under the Victims Of Crime Act (VOCA) grant and works with victims of all types of crime.
For more information on services available to crime victims in Jones County, please contact either deputy at 601-425-3147.