The problem with being a victim, particularly a violent crime, is that you constantly wonder what the perpetrator of the crime is doing. Being able to watch them go to trial and finally be sentenced for their crimes is the first step toward healing, but most people find that they still have a hard time relaxing. An inmate search is a way to help you make sure the person who offended you is still locked up and VINE, the acronym commonly used for reporting victim information every day, is an optional but official service that reports to the victims over the criminals involved. in their cases.
In an effort to help you heal and move on, there are several states that have agreed to establish and maintain an inmate search database. The purpose is for you to know which prison / county the perpetrator is in, as well as the amount of time he will have to serve before he can be considered for parole. The criminal justice system understands what you are going through and has also established VINE networks to give victims some peace of mind knowing that they will be notified in advance of the release of a specific inmate and can even notify inmate movements or transfers while they are still locked up. It varies from state to state, but notifications can come by phone, text message, email, or mail.
When you need to use an inmate search, you will have to start by choosing the state in which the prisoner is incarcerated and then your options may be limited by local laws and the level of technology. If you can search online and you don’t see the name of the person you are looking for, you will need to take a deep breath and tell yourself to relax; County jails and prisons take a while to update electronically, and it’s not unusual for the data to take a few weeks to update. You can get a lot more current information over the phone, but if you’re monitoring someone over time and you can do it online, keep checking because eventually the information you want should show up.
Another thing you will want to take note of when conducting an inmate search is where the inmate is being held. People who have been charged with a crime are generally arrested and if they cannot post bail, they are held in the county jail until their hearing date. If the search reveals that the prisoner is being held in a county jail, it could indicate that he has not actually been convicted as he has not been committed to a larger state-operated facility.
