KRS 15.760: Staff of Commonwealth's attorneys -- County's duty to provide grand jury

and witness rooms -- Victim advocate.

(1) Each Commonwealth's attorney shall, during the calendar year 1977 and through

June 30, 1978, be entitled to at least the number of assist ant Commonwealth's

attorney positions, stenographic, secretarial, and clerical staff positions, and

investigative and other personnel positions, which he had or was entitled to at the

number and salary level in effect on December 1, 1976.

(2) The number of assistant Commonwealth's attorney positions, stenographic,

secretarial, and clerical staff positions, and investigative and other personnel

positions, shall be based on real need to be determined with the advice and consent

of the Prosecutors Advisory Council.

(3) All assistant Commonwealth's attorneys shall be licensed practicing attorneys. The

full-time assistant Commonwealth's attorneys shall not be allowed to engage in the

private practice of law.

(4) All salaries paid to personnel appointed hereunder shall be paid from the State

Treasury. The salaries shall be commensurate with the appointee's education,

experience, training, and responsibility, and be based upon the guidelines

established by the Prosecutors Advisory Council, which guidelines shall be

comparable with the classification and compensation plan for comparable positions

maintained by the state Personnel Cabinet, pursuant to KRS 64.640.

(5) The fiscal court, consolidated local government, or urban -county government in the

county or counties t hat comprise the judicial circuit shall be responsible for

providing the office of the Commonwealth's attorney with an adequate grand jury

room and witness rooms.

(6) (a) Each Commonwealth's attorney shall be authorized to employ individually or

jointly with one (1) or more other Commonwealth's attorneys at least one (1)

victim advocate to counsel and assist crime victims as defined in KRS

421.500.

(b) An individual employed as a victim advocate shall be a person who by a

combination of education, professio nal qualification, training, and experience

is qualified to perform the duties of this position. The victim advocate shall be

an individual at least eighteen (18) years of age, of good moral character, with

at least two (2) years of experience working in t he human services field or

court system in a position requiring professional contact with children or

adults, who has:

1. Received a baccalaureate degree in social work, sociology, psychology,

guidance and counseling, education, religion, criminal justice, or other

human service field; or

2. Received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, and, in

addition to the experience required in this subsection, has at least four

(4) years' experience working in the human services field or court

system.

(c) Each Commonwealth's attorney who employs an individual to serve as a

victim advocate shall develop a written job description which describes the

duties of the position and shall ensure the victim advocate completes training

relating to the appropriate int ervention with crime victims, including victims

of domestic violence and victims of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation or

other crimes against the elderly. Each victim advocate shall perform those

duties necessary to insure compliance with the crime vic tim's bill of rights

contained in KRS 421.500 to 421.530. No victim advocate shall engage in

political activities while in the course of performing his duties as victim

advocate or the practice of law as defined in KRS 524.130. The creation and

funding of any new personnel position shall be reviewed and approved by the

Prosecutors Advisory Council.