Indiana’s Victim Notification Program – We should be concerned!

On June 15th   INCASA, ICADV, and DVN released a notice to service providers that the SAVIN and Alert Notification System will be changing effective June 30, 2010.  The release is posted below.  A meeting was held by the Department of Corrections regarding the changes forthcoming.  The DOC is presenting information as if everything is on track with a seamless transition, no problems and certainly no gaps.  There are still some definite concerns and some unanswered questions.   We will have more to follow on this but we need to be on alert and paying attention.  This change is happening at the state level and it is going to have a very real impact on local jails and local programs who are the one’s working with those individuals who depend on this notification system as an element of a safety plan.   Be on alert!

June 15, 2010

Victim Service Providers-

The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV), Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault (INCASA), and Domestic Violence Network (DVN), have recently learned that the Department of Corrections (DOC) has cancelled services with Appriss for Indiana SAVIN, Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry, and Alert Notification Services effective June 30, 2010.   According to Brent Myers, Director, Registration and Victim Services for the DOC, all victim notification services will be brought in-house effective July 1, 2010, and the transition from Appriss Alert Notification Services should be seamless.

ICADV and INCASA have been in communication with the DOC, ICJI, and many others regarding this transition and we will be able to provide you more details and information after our stakeholders meeting on Thursday, June 17.  In the meantime, we felt it was imperative for victim service agencies to know about this transition and to help your victims prepare for the change in the notification system.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us; however, we will be providing a greater level of detail and information by the first of the week.

Thank you,

Laura Berry                                     Anita Carpenter                  Julie Marsh

Executive Director                          CEO                                       CEO

ICADV                                              INCASA                                DVN