This National Crime Victims’ Rights Week we want to highlight those at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office that help make a difference by supporting crime victims. Aisha Robertson from the Victim Services Division does just that.

As a Legal Support Assistant* with front desk responsibilities, Aisha Robertson is the first person the public talks to when they call the Victim Services Division. She takes pride in making a good first impression on behalf of the office and providing the best customer service to the public by demonstrating patience, empathy and providing a human connection to make sure callers feel validated. Over the last year, Victim Services received 10,655 phone calls, that’s approximately 888 phone calls per month or 44 phone calls a day. Managing such a high call volume can be difficult, but Aisha makes sure that every caller feels understood and heard. Navigating the criminal justice system can very confusing and stressful, which is why it’s so important to have someone on the frontline that is dedicated to creating a positive experience for victims at the beginning of the process. Having someone that is an active listener and creates a calming and inviting environment helps victims’ bond and develop trust with their advocate while also encouraging them to participate and exercise their rights in the process.

We are not the only ones who notice her dedication, the public is grateful for the effort she puts into her work and let us know through many positive emails and phone calls. As one caller stated, Aisha, “…. gave me validation, respect, and communicated well on the status of the case. Happy that a government agency actually had this level of customer service as I had not experience this in the past.” Not only are her customer service skills superior but her sincere willingness to assist others draws praise. “Aisha is efficient, competent, and fantastic, she gave all necessary information needed. She is excellent at her job.”

When dealing with frustrated callers, her utmost professionalism helps deescalate situations and attend to the caller with great sensitivity and care. While decreasing the stress of the situation, she takes time to validate their feelings and explain the process, the role of a victim advocate and any upcoming hearings. Her remarkable ability to calm even the most frustrated caller who has been on the phone all day and provide them with assistance also provides some relief through this very challenging process.

Her efforts extend even to those who do not have cases charged by our office but are completely lost in the criminal justice system. She takes time to assist and if needed will do additional research and collect the information necessary to assist a caller, who always appreciate the follow up.

“Mrs. Aisha Robertson…was the only person to go the extra mile to help us find the answers we needed to our many questions. She first spent the time to fully understand what it was that we were looking for and then spent time telling us where to obtain the information, who to talk to, and provided us with their phone numbers. When she was not sure about the information, she spent time researching it and even called us back (the first office to ever do this) with additional information that finally helped us get the answers we needed to almost all our questions. She is a bright spot in a system with few bright spots and someone who should be commended for being willing to go the extra mile.”

In addition to attending to phone calls, Aisha is also responsible for ensuring advocates receive copies of various forms that victims submit, assists with notification efforts and with Post Conviction Notifications. She also processes law enforcement victim waiver of rights forms and receives the United States Postal Service forms notifying us of any updated addresses.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is committed to supporting crime victims and make sure their voice is heard. Our office provides a wide range of services for crime victims and their families to help them understand all the stages of a criminal case. Visit MaricopaCountyAttorney.org/Victims to learn more about the important work of our Victim Services Division.

*Aisha was recently promoted and now works as a Restitution Specialist in the Victim Services Division.