The Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification (SAVIN) program ensures victims of crime receive accurate and timely information regarding the status of offenders and events related to the case. Through SAVIN, victims are able to participate in the judicial process and make sound decisions to protect themselves from further victimization while maintaining total anonymity. This information-sharing capability is also available to courts, corrections, and law enforcement officials.
The Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) received a 2006 SAVIN award to implement a statewide automated victim notification system. As the SAVIN implementation is currently underway, the IDOC will expand its current notification efforts to include Indiana Sex Offender Registry notifications and appellate case notifications. This enhancement will be accomplished through the 2007 SAVIN funding. Indiana State law authorizes the IDOC to establish this type of notification system that includes IDOC offender population data, as well as offenders housed in the 92 county jails.
The State of Indiana used to maintain three separate sex offender databases which had individual registry processes for offenders. To facilitate and streamline the registry and notification process, the State decided to revamp the collection and dissemination of this data via one single registry maintained by the IDOC. The primary objective of this enhancement was to provide Indiana citizens with a single sex offender registry database available via a full-featured web portal that includes text searching and mapping of offender locations. SAVIN funding will allow the IDOC to incorporate an automated notification option on its current [sex offender] registry that allows victims to gain access to vital information about offenders. Citizens will be able to access offender information, such as movement in and out of state, address changes, and release and custody.
In addition to the registry notification, the State will also enhance the system by automating appeal notification through the Indiana Department of the Attorney General. The automation would link into the existing SAVIN infrastructure, which would allow victims to be notified on hearings, decisions, and other court developments via letter, e-mail, and phone. The State will contract with its current vendor, Appriss (based in Louisville, Kentucky) to deploy these enhancements. Appriss will work with the Indiana Department of Correction and Indiana Sheriff's Association to implement and operate the proposed service by deploying Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM) compliant adapters to each of the participating jails and the set-up of the required data network to transmit offender transactions to the vendor's notification center. Appriss will be responsible for the deployment and maintenance of the network, including all inbound and outbound communication services with victims. Federal funds will cover the entire contract with the selected vendor.
CA/NCF
