Dane County Makes Updates to the VINE Service

July 29, 2008
Contact: Elise Schaffer, PIO Phone: (608) 284-6142 Email: schaffer@co.dane.wi.us
Sheriff's Office

Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) is a free, anonymous program that provides victims of crime two important services: Information and Notification. Until recently, the VINE program was strictly a computer-based telephone system that informed victims of crime when the offender was released from jail after serving their sentence. In an effort to better serve victims of crime, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office has enhanced the system to provide more detailed information. One of the improvements is online access to information. Victims are now able to access information via the Internet at either www.vinelink.com or through a VINE link on the Sheriff’s website www.danesheriff.com. Additionally, victims will now be informed if an offender has been placed in a jail diversion program such as Custody Alternative Monitoring Program (CAMP) or Pathfinders. Victims are made aware that these inmates will be serving their sentence while living in a residence outside the jail and are monitored with the use of electronic GPS tracking devices. Crime victims utilizing the VINE service should be aware that they are not notified when an offender is sentenced with Huber. Huber inmates may be allowed to leave the jail facility for up to 12 hours per day for work, school, and/or approved appointments. Huber inmates have limited monitoring while outside the jail. In all instances, victims are told that any contact attempt by an inmate of the Dane County jail should be reported to the police in the appropriate jurisdiction immediately, if the contact is unwanted or a court order is in place prohibiting contact with the victim or the victim’s family. ###