LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Thousands of Kentucky residents have been able to keep track of convicted sex offenders moving into their neighborhoods thanks to the Kentucky Sex Offender Alert Line. Governor Paul Patton launched the joint Appriss/Kentucky State Police project in April . In the last 12 months, the Kentucky Sex Offender Alert Line has made more than 73,000 notification calls to those who registered.

The Kentucky Sex Offender Alert Line provides up-to-date, real-time information regarding the release of registered sex offenders in local communities. Residents call a toll-free number (); provide their own telephone number for notification, and up to three ZIP codes. A location change in any of the registered areas triggers the notification call. Once a notification call is made, the registered citizen is directed to the Kentucky State Police Sex Offender Registry at http://kspsor.state.ky.us/ for more information.

"The Kentucky Sex Offender Alert Line averages over 6,000 notification calls per month," said Mike Davis, Appriss president. "Citizens are finding comfort in knowing the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders and how to protect their families."

State law requires convicted sex offenders who have been released from jail or prison to report their whereabouts periodically. There are an estimated 700 sex offenders in Kentucky who are subject to lifetime reporting and 2,100 more who must report their whereabouts for 10 years.

"The alert line has been a great supplement to our sex offender registry website, working hand-in-hand to create an interactive community notification system," said Lt. Brad Bates, Kentucky State Police. "The public response has been extremely positive, and we have received countless feedback on how the system is being utilized by members of the public to stay informed."

Registered individuals are called for a 24-hour period, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. As with VINE, the Kentucky Sex Offender Alert Line includes live operator support. People without Internet access are encouraged to use free services at local libraries to access the state police sex offender registry.

Appriss provides innovative technology solutions that help governments serve and protect their citizens. Its flagship product, VINE (Victim Information & Notification Everyday) allows crime victims and the general public to obtain offender custody or court status over the telephone or the Internet in more than 1,200 counties in 36 states and two Canadian provinces. Partnering with a team led by AT&T Government Solutions Inc., Appriss provides automated notification services to victims of federal crimes through the U.S. Department of Justice.

Source: Appriss, Inc.