Victim Assistance Coordinators serve a valuable role in the court system. They are advocates for victims and their families, helping them to get reimbursed for court costs and funeral costs, informing them of their rights and supporting them as their cases progress through the system.

District 14 — which includes Lincoln, Pike and Walthall counties — has been fortunate to have two VACs in the past, but there’s the fear the district will lose one of them if the federal grant that funds the position dries up.

The district is required by law to have one VAC, but District Attorney Dee Bates said it needs two.

“We’re required by law to do certain things, and it’s very hard to fully follow the law when you don’t the personnel, but we do the best we can with what we have,” Bates said.

He spoke to the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors recently about possibly funding a VAC position if the district loses the federal grant. Lincoln County would share funding with other counties in the district. Its share would be about $25,000.

It’s a small price to pay for the service that VACs provide. Just imagine how difficult it would be to navigate the court system as a victim or the family member of a victim. Having a helping hand to guide you through the process would be invaluable.

If the district needs two VACs as Bates says, then the board should step in and fund Lincoln County’s share if the need arises.