Little Rock, Ark--- -- Crime victims and other concerned citizens throughout the state now have access to information about more than 40,000 probationers and parolees supervised by the Arkansas Department of Community Correction (DCC). This information is available on probationers convicted of sexual or violent offenses and all parolees through VINE® (Victim Information and Notification Everyday).
Provided by the Arkansas Crime Information Center, VINE® also offers timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders whether they are in county jails, in the Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) as inmates, or assigned to the DCC as parolees or probationers, 24 hours a day -- over the telephone, through the Internet, or by e-mail.
Probation and parole information provided by Arkansas VINE® includes changes in supervising offices, absconders, apprehension of absconders and their return to custody, and the incarceration of technical violators. (Technical violators are offenders under supervision of the DCC who commit offenses serious enough to require incarceration, but not serious enough to have their parole or probation revoked and be returned to the DCC.)
To access VINE®, crime victims and other concerned citizens in Arkansas call a toll-free number, 1-800-510-0415, and using a touch-tone phone, enter the offender's name or offender identification number. Users can also register to be notified of a change in an offender's custody or court status by entering a four-digit personal identification number. Offender information can also be obtained online at www.vinelink.com.
The Arkansas VINE® program is a joint effort between the Arkansas Department of Correction, the Arkansas Department of Community Correction, and the Arkansas Crime Information Center. In 1999, Arkansas became the second state in the country to launch the automated service. Since that time, the system has provided information on offenders in the custody of county jails and the Department of Correction, as well as court status through the prosecuting attorney's office.
"VINE® has been a tremendous asset to the Arkansas Crime Information Center," said Charles Pruitt, ACIC director. "We are excited to be able to once again work with DCC and Appriss in enhancing our existing programs and the safety of our citizens."
DCC's Director David Guntharp agreed, noting that the addition of probation and parole notifications to VINE will benefit victims who have concerns about the offenders who may have impacted their lives.
"With this component of the VINE program, a victim can be notified when a parolee absconds and when he is returned to custody. This type of information helps victims who are struggling to put their lives back into place following a violent crime," says Guntharp. "I'm pleased to have partnered with VINE on this project."
The Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) continues to partner with Appriss Inc.® to provide both VINE? and JusticeXchange?, an integrated criminal justice application that gives law enforcement officials immediate access to information about offenders held in jail across the country through a secure web site. Arkansas was the first state in the nation to adopt this service.
About Appriss Appriss provides innovative technology solutions that help governments serve and protect their citizens. Its flagship product, VINE, is available in more than 1,500 communities in 40 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. Other innovative products and services include JusticeXchange™, the nation's only real-time "who's in jail" database, Alertxpress®, a high-speed notification service for criminal justice agencies, and VINE Protective Order, which notifies crime victims when a protective order has been served on a respondent.