Jessica is a senior at Portland State University studying criminology and criminal justice. She began volunteering at NCVLI in the summer of 2015 and interned during the Fall and Spring of 2016.  She told us a little about her experience as an intern at NCVLI.

What did you know about victims’ rights before working at NCVLI?
While I had done some volunteering with victims, I didn’t know the amount of legal rights victims had.  In all of the various history/social studies/government classes I’ve had over the years, there was always discussion about the legal rights defendants had, so I never even really thought that much about victims’ rights.

What have you learned while working at NCVLI?
I’ve learned so much!  Before I didn’t even know victims had rights – now I know about state constitutional amendments, issues with statutes of limitations, etc.

What did you do while working at NCVLI?
I worked on the Digest, which kept me up to date with a lot of current victims’ rights news.  I also worked on case uploads, created a survey, and made a Quicktools video!

How has working at NCVLI impacted you?
Along with greatly expanding my knowledge, I now am planning on attending law school!

What did you like most about working at NCVLI?
Getting to work with NCVLI’s incredible attorneys and staff.  Everyone was so passionate about their work, and they were always happy to share knowledge with me.

What would you say to a fellow student thinking about helping crime victims?
It is so worth it. Even if you’re working behind the scenes, every little thing can help make a huge, positive impact in a victim’s life.