News Photo by Temi Fadayomi
Julie Jackson, left, and Sasha Jackson pose for a photo in the victim rights room at the Alpena County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday.
ALPENA — Alpena County Victim Assistance Coordinator Julie Jackson and part-time county Victim Advocate Sasha Jackson have completed the certification process to become application assistance workers for the Michigan Address Confidentiality Program, making them better-equipped than ever to assist crime victims.
The Address Confidentiality Program was created to protect victims of stalking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking by concealing victims’ addresses in public records.
The state says on its website that victims can turn in an Address Confidentiality Program application and, if it is approved, they will be provided with a designated address that can be used instead of their real address on paperwork for governmental entities, employers, or schools.
Private companies are not required by law to use designated substitute addresses. However, victims can request that they use it.
With their new certification, Julie and Sasha Jackson can now help victims with the application process for the program.
Assisting victims in that way will be just an additional task on top of the many that the victim unit at the Alpena County Prosecutor’s Office already performs.
“We’re here to kind of navigate the criminal justice system for victims who are unfamiliar,” said Julie Jackson. “Whenever there’s been a crime, and you’re the victim of the crime, you’re gonna get a call from us as soon as there’s charges.”
As members of the victims unit, Julie and Sasha Jackson help victims through every step of the criminal justice process and answer any questions victims may have.
“We’re like a guide,” Julie Jackson said. “We make sure that they have the resources they need. If they need to be in contact with the (domestic violence) shelter, we can send in a referral for that. If they need counseling, compensation, things like that, we’re here to make sure that they get it. If they have victim impact statements and they want their voice to be heard for the judge during the case, or after the case, we are here to make sure that happens for them. If they want help writing it, we can help do that.”
In addition to Julie and Sasha Jackson, the victim unit also has a crime victims rights navigator who is responsible for helping victims receive financial compensation for any expenses they may have had to pay as a result of being the victim of a crime, such as funeral expenses in the case of a homicide or the cost of counseling.
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