Louisville, KY.--- Tuscaloosa County has become the first to offer around-the-clock access to custody status of inmates in the state of Alabama. Appriss Inc. has been chosen by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office to implement its innovative notification service -- VINE® (Victim Information & Notification Everyday).
Through VINE, crime victims and other concerned citizens will be able to keep track of an offender's custody status by calling a toll-free number or logging on to www.vinelink.com. They can also register to be notified when that offender is released, transferred, or escapes. The Appriss Communications Center(TM) relays information from jail and prison booking systems to registered users when there is a change in an offender's custody status.
"By offering VINE, I believe we're making Tuscaloosa County a safer place to live and work," said Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ted Sexton. "I'm proud that we are the first community in Alabama to provide this life-saving service, and I believe we're leading the way for the rest of the state."
The inclusion of Tuscaloosa County in Alabama now raises the total number of states using VINE to 40. VINE is available in more than 1,500 communities, including 20 of the nation's largest metropolitan areas.
Appriss provides innovative technology solutions that help governments serve and protect their citizens. In addition to VINE, Appriss has worked with a team led by AT&T Government Solutions Inc. to provide automated notification services to victims of Federal crimes through the U.S. Department of Justice. Other innovative products and services include AlertXpress, a high-speed notification solution for government agencies; JusticeXchange™, an Integrated Criminal Justice application; and JusticeBridge™, a scalable framework for the development of county and statewide integrated justice platforms.