Jackson Jambalaya

The Mississippi Department of Corrections issued the following press release:

Citizens in Hinds County, especially crime victims, can now receive automated notifications when a suspect posts bond, transfers, escapes or otherwise leaves the Hinds County Detention Center.

However, they must register at www.vinelink.com to receive the free automated notifications on any form of release.

Since Dec. 1, 2015, Victim Information Notification Everyday (VINE) has been available to the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department through the Mississippi Department of Corrections’ Statewide Automated Information and Notification program (SAVIN).

VINE provides inmate status changes through automated calls, text messages, and emails or a variation of the three. Services are Teletype (TTY) capable for the hearing impaired. Real-time information updates in the offender’s electronic booking file trigger notifications to registrants.

“I strongly support the different levels of public safety. Automated notifications enhances our mission. It’s great to see this service in our counties, especially in Hinds County,” Commissioner Marshall Fisher said.

Registration is anonymous unless requested otherwise, allowing for an open range of affiliation: victims/survivors of crime and the general public (i.e. service providers, attorneys, neighborhood watch organizations, law enforcement agencies, school officials, business owners, offender relatives/friends, etc.).

MDOC’s SAVIN program has completed thousands of notifications since launching VINE in April 2008.

Currently, there are about 51,300 active registrants through this technology-based service. Since its inception in Mississippi VINE has had over 106,500 registrations.

To date, inmate searches and registrations on VINE has over 3,400,000 views and continues to rise daily.

VINE, currently in 48 states, was formed following the 1993 murder of Mary Byron. The Louisville, Kentucky victim had been kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a former boyfriend. Unbeknownst to her, he was released on bond within the first two weeks of his detainment. He killed Byron on her 21st birthday.

SAVIN is funded by a portion of statewide fines. The Office of MS SAVIN maintains services with county agencies, the MDOC Division of Victim Services, Victim Assistance Coordinators statewide, and other victim-based service providers.

For more information, contact the MDOC Office of Mississippi SAVIN at (601)359-5759 or mssavin@mdoc.state.ms.us. You also can visit the MDOC website at www.mdoc.ms.gov for details on the other services available through the MDOC’s Division of Victim Services.