| PR #: | 1200063 |
| Date Issued: | May 22, 2012 - 10:03am |
Sheriff's Office and Nevada Attorney General's Office Unveil New Victim Notification Service PSA's | |
| CONTACT: | Tami Cummings Community Relations 911 Parr Blvd Reno, NV 89512 Office (775) 785-6205 |
The Nevada Attorney General’s Office in collaboration with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is launching a media campaign this week promoting Nevada VINE (Victim Information Notification Everyday), a nation-wide service that allows crime victims to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders 24 hours a day.
VINE was created in 1994 following the murder of Mary Byron in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to the murder, Mary and her parents asked to be notified when Mary’s ex-boyfriend was released from jail. They were never told that he was released, and he murdered Mary on her 21st birthday.
Today, the VINE program is available in 47 states.
Nevada VINE is a free, confidential service that gives victims and other concerned citizens 24/7 access to the custody status of offenders and provides automated telephone, email or text notification of key activities related to their cases.
“Nevada VINE restores peace of mind to survivors and gives crime victims a voice in the criminal justice system,” said Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.
The 30 second public service announcement will be distributed to radio and television stations throughout the state in an effort to raise awareness about this free public safety service. The Washoe County PSA features Undersheriff Todd Vinger who encourages residents to “stay safe, stay informed.”
“This is an important service for victims. They need to know if the offender is released or transferred.” said Undersheriff Todd Vinger. “Users can register as many phone numbers or email addresses as they like to ensure that they can be reached as quickly as possible.“
To check on the status of an offender or to register, victims can call toll-free at 1-888-268-8463 or visit www.washoesheriff.com.
The service is funded in Nevada through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Administration as part of the Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification program.
Direct contact at the Nevada Attorney General's Office:
Jennifer Lopez
702-486-3782
The Washoe County Sheriff's Office celebrated 150 years of proud service and community partnership in 2011. Sheriff Michael Haley is the 25th person elected to serve as the Sheriff of Washoe County. His office continues to be the only full service public safety agency operating within northern Nevada and is responsible for operating the consolidated detention facility, regional crime lab, Northern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, court security, service of civil process, traditional street patrols and Regional Animal Services.
Attached audio files...Download this audio file - (APR VINE Press Release - 1 MB mp3)
Download this audio file - (VINE Radio Spot - 485 KB mp3)
Attached video files...