Crime victims can now receive text messages on offender status
Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith announces the launch of an enhancement to the New York Sheriffs’ Victim Hotline, commonly known as the VINE program. The VINE program upgrade will enable crime victims to receive a text message notification in the event of any change in custody status of an offender incarcerated in a county correctional facility in New York state or a correctional facility in New York City.
VINE allows crime victims to learn the custody status of an offender, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by telephone or online. This new notification option, “SMS Text Messaging Notification,” adds text messaging to the existing notification options. The additional outbound notification method will be in English and Spanish.
In 2014, almost 2.8 million crime victims searched the VINE Database, using either the toll-free telephone number (1-888-VINE-4-NY), the VINEMobile app, the Sheriff’s Mobile Patrol App (both available for iPhone and Android), or the website (VineLine.com). Also in 2014, over 100,000 crime victims received notification of a change in an offender’s status either by phone or email. It is anticipated that the addition of the text messaging option will result in even more crime victims receiving timely notification of vital offender information.
Anyone who would like more information about the VINE program may contact Captain Patrick O’Malley at the Putnam County Correctional Facility by calling 845-225-5255.
