Pennsylvania’s top advocate for crime victims is grappling with job insecurity and politics seem by all accounts to be at play.

Jennifer Storm, the state’s official crime victim advocate, has come under fire from some lawmakers (mostly Republicans) for speaking too loudly and too much, especially on issues involving sexual abuse.

She has been criticized for favoring stronger sentencing laws and opposing bills that grant parole eligibility to people sentenced to life in prison. She’s also stirred ire for supporting a temporary pause in the state’s statute of limitations to permit lawsuits for priest abuse that occurred decades ago.

The state Senate has voted to make it mandatory that the crime victim advocate have a law degree, which Ms. Storm lacks.

vote makes no sense. Ms. Storm and other crime advocates aren’t allowed to give legal advice so why the law degree requirement?

Ms. Storm has a unique mandate to speak out for victims of crime and speak she has. Established in 1995 by Gov. Tom Ridge, the crime victims advocate addresses the Department of Corrections Parole Board on behalf of victims. Ms. Storm was first nominated by Gov. Tom Corbett in 2013. Gov. Tom Wolf renominated her to a second six-year term. She is awaiting a date for a renomination hearing.

Those in office must do some soul-searching. Politics must be left out from the equation when it comes to Ms. Storm’s job security.

— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette