DOC Appoints Jeralita Costa to Victim Advocate Post

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 7, 2009

OLYMPIA – The Department of Corrections has selected a long-time advocate and former state legislator to provide advocacy services for female offenders in women’s prison facilities who are victims of staff sexual misconduct.

Jeralita “Jeri” Costa will serve as the agency’s Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Victim Advocate, a position that was established as part of a stipulated agreement between DOC and plaintiffs in a 2007 class action lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct by agency staff.

"We are very fortunate to have a person with Jeri’s range and depth of experience in both victim advocacy and corrections available to fill this critical position,” said Karen Daniels, DOC Assistant Secretary for Community Corrections.

Ms. Costa was formerly a community victim liaison for DOC; providing safety planning services for the victims of high risk offenders returning to the community. She was the Assistant Director of Education and Training for the National Victim Center in Arlington, Virginia and served as the Executive Director of Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims in Seattle, Washington. She held leadership positions in the Washington State Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates between 1989 and 1995.

Ms. Costa served in the Washington State Legislature between 1995 and 2002 where she chaired numerous sub-committees and task forces on a variety of juvenile and criminal justice issues. She is currently Chair of the Washington State Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. Ms. Costa assumes her new duties on August 16.

“The people who receive services from her will benefit from her skills as an advocate, and the Department will benefit from her experience and perspective as we continue to work to make our prisons as safe as they can be," said Victim Services Program Manager Steve Eckstrom.

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Contact: Joseph Mitchell, Communications Department (360) 725-8696

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