The Victim and Witness Services department of the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office consists of 10 victim advocates, two restitution advocates and a courthouse support dog, Tresi.
The program had only existed for two years when Program Director Pamela Grosh assumed her role 33 years ago. Along with Grosh, the department consisted of a part-time advocate and part-time support person.
On December 3, 2021, Grosh’s dedicated career as Program Director concluded as she has stepped into retirement, leaving the position to longtime coworker and Victim Advocate Deanna Weaver.
“I have worked with Pam for 15 years and it seemed like we’d known each other a long time from that first meeting,” Weaver said. “She has always set the very best example of what a true advocate should be. She scrutinizes how things are done and doesn’t just follow the path of least resistance. Instead, she chooses the path that provides the best services to victims, even though it may require more work and may not be the most popular decision.”
Grosh received the first Annual Governor’s Victim Service Pathfinder Award in the category of Individual/Direct Service Provider in 1999, which recognized and honored those who have shown a commitment to enhancing the lives of victims of crimes within Pennsylvania.
Weaver brings lengthy experience, overall working 28 years in the field and 15 years in the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, where she has served as Deputy Director of the Victim and Witness Services program since 2008.
The new Program Director began as an expressive arts therapist at ACCESS-York, the domestic violence program in York County, working with children in the transitional housing program. She learned about the dynamics of domestic violence and wanted to do more to make a difference.
A position as a legal advocate opened within the organization and Weaver jumped at the opportunity with duties such as assisting victims with protection from abuse orders and accompanying them to court.
She then moved on to the Victim Assistance Center in York, where she learned more about the criminal justice system and assisted victims of sexual assault and other major crimes.
She moved to Lancaster County in 2005 and was hired as a Victim Advocate within Victim and Witness Services a year later.
While many might see this work as “depressing,” Weaver sees it in a different light.
“The truth is, while we definitely see the worst in this job, we also see some of the most inspiring situations,” she said. “The fact that people can maintain their compassion despite what they have been through is one of the most heartening things I have witnessed. The courage we see in the people we serve is really quite impressive. This work helps keep things in perspective and makes you not take things for granted. I have learned the most about this work from the people we serve.”
Victim and Witness Services provides information, support, and advocacy to victims of crime and to witnesses for trial. Some duties include acting as a liaison between police, prosecutors, and victims; assisting in witness notification and accompaniment to court proceedings; and referring victims to other appropriate social service agencies.
The program has seen steady growth under five District Attorneys, with the program expanding to 12 advocates and a support dog in comparison to the three employees when Grosh started.
“The late Judge Henry Kenderdine, who founded Victim/Witness Services; Judge Joseph Madenspacher, who institutionalized the program in the office; Judge Don Totaro, who created office policy to implement the expansion of the Crime Victims Act; Judge Craig Stedman, a superb trial attorney and mentor who increased the capacity of Victim/Witness; and Heather Adams, whose thoughtful and intentional approach to doing justice inspires our path forward,” Grosh said.
Weaver, Judge Totaro and District Attorney Adams all spoke to Grosh’s dedication and impact at a presentation luncheon Friday at the Lancaster County Courthouse. Grosh was presented with a plaque for a Victim and Witness Services room that will be dedicated and named in her honor within the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Looking ahead, Weaver said she will be living off notes for a bit as she transitions to the new role, but that transition presents a time for examination of how the program is doing and what it can do better.
Grosh left with some advice on how that can be accomplished.
“Never be afraid to engage with another person’s pain,” she said. “Be willing to be part of their journey. Be a strong advocate for victims without being adversarial. Always look for the opportunity to address all of the needs created by the crime.”
MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.
