The VINE victim notification system is a free, anonymous service that alerts you when an offender’s custody status changes. You register through the VINELink website, the VINELink mobile app, or a 24/7 toll-free phone line, then choose how you want to be contacted when the person is released, transferred, or escapes.1VINE. VINE Victim Notification System The service runs around the clock and covers most U.S. states, though not every county participates.
What to Gather Before You Search
You have to find the right person in the database before you can register for alerts, and that means having at least one solid identifier. The most useful is the offender’s full legal name as it appears on court documents or booking records. Nicknames and aliases usually return nothing.2Westchester County Department of Correction. Victim Information and Notification
If you have the offender’s identification number (a State Identification Number, DOCS Identification Number, or similar facility-specific code), use it. It pulls up an exact match. A date of birth helps narrow results when several people share the same name.2Westchester County Department of Correction. Victim Information and Notification
These identifiers appear on public arrest logs, court dockets, and local jail rosters. The prosecuting attorney’s office can also provide an ID number or date of birth. Spelling matters: if what you enter doesn’t match the booking record exactly, the system won’t find the person. If you’re unsure of the legal spelling, the clerk of court’s office can confirm it.
How to Register for Alerts
There are three ways in, all free and anonymous: vinelink.com, the VINELink mobile app for iOS and Android, or a toll-free phone line staffed 24 hours a day.1VINE. VINE Victim Notification System3VA-VINE. VA-VINE Victim Information and Notification Everyday
On the website or app:
- Select the state where the offender is held.
- Search by name, identification number, or both, adding a date of birth if the name is common.
- Once you find the correct record, pick your notification methods. You can select more than one for the same offender.4Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Enhanced VINELink Frequently Asked Questions
- Create a four-digit PIN. You’ll need it later to update or cancel your registration, so save it.5Grant County, WA. Victim Information and Notification Everyday
- Save the confirmation you receive when you submit.
If you’d rather not use the web, the toll-free line walks you through a search and lets you register for phone-based alerts by voice prompt. The same line can help you locate an offender or connect with victim services in your area.1VINE. VINE Victim Notification System
What Triggers an Alert
VINE sends a notification when the offender’s custody status changes. The common triggers:
- Release from custody, whether by bail, completed sentence, or court order. In some jurisdictions, someone released on their own recognizance was never booked as “in custody,” so VINE has no record to track.6Mariposa County, CA. VINE – Victim Information and Notification Everyday
- Transfer between facilities, from jail to state prison, or to a different security level.6Mariposa County, CA. VINE – Victim Information and Notification Everyday
- Escape or unauthorized absence, which generate high-priority alerts.
- Return to custody after a re-arrest or supervision violation.
Which specific events trigger alerts varies by state and facility, because correctional staff enter the data that drives the system.4Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Enhanced VINELink Frequently Asked Questions The speed and accuracy of your alerts depend on how quickly the facility updates its records.
How the Alerts Reach You
VINE can contact you five ways: phone call, email, text message, TTY for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and push notifications through the VINELink app.4Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Enhanced VINELink Frequently Asked Questions Available methods depend on the state. You can add multiple phone numbers and email addresses to the same offender record, which is worth doing as a backup.
Phone calls require active confirmation. In most jurisdictions you press 9 or say “confirm” during the call. If you don’t confirm, the system keeps calling at regular intervals for up to 24 hours.5Grant County, WA. Victim Information and Notification Everyday That persistence is intentional, so a missed call at 3 a.m. doesn’t leave you unaware of a release.
Email, text, and in-app alerts don’t need confirmation and give you a written record of when you were notified. Check that your spam filter isn’t blocking VINE emails, and update your registration if you change phone carriers or email providers. A stale contact method can leave a gap at the worst possible moment.
Court Hearings, Protective Orders, and Supervision
In participating jurisdictions, VINE tracks more than custody. VINE Courts notifies you of upcoming hearing dates, times, locations, and case status changes, so you don’t have to check court calendars or call the clerk’s office to catch a rescheduled hearing.7Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association. Tennessee VINE Courts Coverage is still expanding, so it isn’t offered everywhere.
Some states also run a VINE Protective Order service. You can register to be told whether an emergency protective order, domestic violence order, or interpersonal violence order has been served on the respondent, and to receive alerts as the expiration date approaches.8Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Corrections. VINE VPO Service status matters for safety planning, because an unserved order offers less practical protection than you may assume.
Probation and parole status is tracked in some areas as well, with alerts about supervision changes after a person has been released from physical custody.9The Maryland People’s Law Library. Tracking an Offender’s Status Whether these extended features exist where you live depends on state and local participation.
Where VINE Doesn’t Reach
Coverage is broad but not universal. Not every county in a participating state has joined, so an offender booked in a non-participating county won’t appear. Federal facilities are outside VINE entirely; for someone held by the federal government, contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons instead.
VINE is also not a historical archive. Facilities typically drop inmate records shortly after release, so the service works for current or very recent custody only. You can’t look up someone released months ago. If an offender was recently moved between jurisdictions, search both the sending and receiving state so you catch whichever one still shows a current record.
If a search returns nothing, try a different spelling, drop the middle name, or use the offender ID number instead of the name. The toll-free support line can also help you locate someone in the system.1VINE. VINE Victim Notification System