LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The Arkansas Crime Information

Center marked a milestone earlier this month in service to the state's crime victims by

commemorating the fifth anniversary of its statewide victim notification

service, VINE. In , Arkansas became only the second state in the

country to launch the automated service and the first state to provide

notification to victims on custody and court status of their offenders.

   

"Prior to VINE, it was very difficult to provide crime victims with the

information they needed to stay informed about their offender," said Charles

Pruitt, director of ACIC. "VINE has been a successful program for both crime

victims and criminal justice agencies, providing a sense of security that was

lacking before."

   

Crime victims in Arkansas call a toll-free number, , and

using a touch-tone phone, enter the offender's name or offender I.D. number.

Victims can also register on line at http://www.vinelink.com .

   

Once the information is retrieved, the automated system provides custody

and court information.  The victim is then given the opportunity to register

his or her telephone number for notification upon a change in custody or court

status.

   

Police and prosecutors across the state are calling Arkansas VINE a huge

success.  Both groups say VINE has enabled them to enhance their service to

victims while allowing them to focus on their jobs.

   

"It used to be very difficult to try to investigate domestic violence

crime and work with victims at the same time," said Capt. David Ebinger, of the

Little Rock Police Department. "Now we are able to assure victims and their

families that they will be able to keep track of their offender and be

notified of critical release and court information."

   

"My office caseload is approximately 45,000 per year, including

misdemeanors and felonies," said Robert Herzfeld, Jr., Saline County

prosecutor. "VINE is tremendously important in what we do, allowing our victim

advocates to spend less time trying to locate people and more time helping

people."

   

The Arkansas VINE system averages several thousand calls per month.  The

average number of incoming calls is approximately 3,000, while more than 5,800

outgoing notification calls are made monthly. There are currently more than

10,000 continuing registrations.

   

"One of ACIC's primary objectives is to provide criminal justice agencies

with the information they need to do their jobs and we see VINE as a vital

link in achieving those objectives," said Pruitt. "Working with organizations

like MADD, Parents of Murdered Children, the attorney general's Crime Victims

Reparations Program, and victim advocates across the state, we are doing our

best to ensure every crime victim and their families are kept informed."

   

ACIC partnered with Kentucky-based Appriss Inc. to provide the VINE

service. The technology company currently offers VINE in more than 1,400

communities across the country in 36 states and two Canadian provinces.

  

 "We are very proud of our relationship with ACIC and the state of

Arkansas," said Mike Davis, Appriss president and co-founder. "Arkansas is a

pioneer in technology for criminal justice. Local and state leaders have

opened new doors to help criminal justice agencies serve and protect their

citizens and we are glad to be a part of it."

   

ACIC also partnered with Appriss to provide JusticeXchange, an

integrated criminal justice application that provides law enforcement

officials with immediate access to information about offenders held in jail

across the country. Arkansas was the first state in the nation to utilize this

service.

 

Source: Appriss, Inc.