DOC proposes adding four victim-service liaisons to lower caseloads and create specializations

Department of Corrections staff told lawmakers that the DOC victim services unit operates with five victim service liaisons and that adding four FTE would reduce caseloads to earlier levels and allow staff specialization.

Scott Eichner, rehabilitation program chief, presented a simple workload calculation: the program started in 2018 with grant funding and continued on with department funds after the grant expired; with five liaisons the department reported an average caseload of about 53 victims per liaison based on annual totals. Eichner said the numbers of victims served have risen over time and that "if we add 4 more, it puts us back to where we started." He told the committee the four additional positions would allow creation of specialized liaisons focused on domestic violence and human trafficking.

Lawmakers asked about geographic coverage. Eichner said the current staff are spread around the state, with offices in locations that include Butte, Billings, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula; the liaisons routinely travel to serve victims and would travel more if assigned to specialized regional teams.

Why it matters: Victim services are part of the department’s reentry and safety work; caseload levels affect staff ability to provide timely accompaniment, safety planning and advocacy. The department said staff report being overloaded and cited increases in victims served since the program’s 2018 start.

The department provided a simple by-year table and told the committee it will supply quarterly breakdowns and clarified that 2025 figures were a projection based on 2024 totals.