Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification Program

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 their 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 Hawaii Department of Public Safety (PSD) will use its Fiscal Year 2008 SAVIN grant to implement a statewide automated victim notification system. Their selected system, Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE), will link all of Hawaii's correctional facilities and will include notices, such as releases, parole hearings, and escapes.

Hawaii has currently been using a manual system to notify victims about a change in status. This service is only available during business hours, which results in gaps in service and untimely notifications. During non-working hours, attempts to contact victims are made, but this is on a volunteer basis and can also result in gaps, and a victim/witness counselor may not be available. Finally, the system relies heavily on manual actions, and thus, there are multiple opportunities for glitches to occur.

The new system will be automated and a live operator will be available at any time. Furthermore as part of the system implementation, the PSD, in conjunction with the SAVIN governance board, will determine the procedures and standards for the system, including how victims register, how victims will be notified about the system, time guidelines for notifications, the type of crimes included in the system, and languages offered. Through the system, the grantee will also be able to access qualitative and quantitative performance reports.

In addition to contract costs to cover the set-up and maintenance of the VINE system, the SAVIN grant will also be used to fund a Program Coordinator and Secretary, cover travel to conferences and training sites and the travel of members to Governance Committee meetings, and purchase office supplies.

CA/NCF