The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office has announced the availablilty of the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) Program to County residents. VINE is an automated system that interfaces with correctional facilities across the United States and allows users to access offender custody status, verify custody status and receive notification of a change in an offender’s custody status.

VINE communicates with jail and prison booking systems in near real-time, transmitting updated information to the VINE Data Network. The system allows victims to inquire whether an offender is held in jail, as well as the facility’s location. Users can also register to be notified immediately of a change in the offender’s status, such as release, transfer, or escape.

When a notification is triggered, VINE automatically sends information via telephone, cell phone or e-mail advising of the change in custody status.

Crime victims and the general public can access the information by calling (877) 411-5588, by visiting www.vinelink.com or clicking on the VINE link from the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Web page (www.mariposacounty.org/she riff) any time of the day or night. For those who make a request to be notified by phone, but are not home or the line is busy when a custody change occurs, the VINE service will keep trying to make contact. VINE will continue to call every half-hour for 24 hours. VINE will leave a message on an answering machine, but will continue to call every two hours up to a 24-hour period until there is acknowledgement that notification has been received. Since an inmate’s custody status may change at any time night or day, notification calls may come in the middle of the night.

More information about the program can be obtained at www.mariposacounty.org/she riff.

Although the VINE service is designed to provide quick and easy access to offender information, it is recommended not to depend solely on VINE or any other single program for individual safety.