2009 Statistical Report on VINE

In 2009 a total of 131,220 phone calls were made to the toll-free phone number 1-888-VINE-4-NY. They were made to determine the custody status of inmates incarcerated in a New York City Department of Correction (Key Pad #1), a New York State Department of Correctional Services (Key Pad #2) and one of 60 Local County Correctional Facilities (Key Pad #3).  These phone calls resulted in 169,678 searches of the VINE inmate database.   Another 555,915 searches were made using the VINE Website www.vinelink.com.  Authorized Correctional personnel used the secure website www.vinewatch.com to search the VINE system 43,831 times.  This resulted in a combined total of 769,424 searches for information about inmates incarcerated in New York Correctional Facilities.

In the same year 38,518 crime victims registered for a phone call or an e-mail notification about their offender in a New York Correctional Facility.  This is a 51% increase in the number of crime victims who used VINE in 2008.  APPRISS, Inc. in turn made 382,139 phone calls and sent 16,422 e-mails to notify 43,268 registered victims about a change in their offender’s custody status in 2009.

Locally 12,282 crime victims registered for a phone call or an email notification about an inmate in one of the 60 County Correctional Facilities.  18,525 calls were made to the toll-free phone #1-888-VINE4-NY using Key Pad #3 seeking information about an inmates custody status.  Crime Victims used the Internet site www.vinelink.com 8,714 times to register for a phone call or notification email about inmates in one of the 60 County Correctional Facilities.  APPRISS, Inc. made 90,198 phone calls and sent 7,024 e-mails to notify 15,571 registered victims about a change in their offender’s custody status.

Crime Victims used Key Pad #4 a total of 23,811 times to query all three Correctional data bases (NYC, NYC, County) simultaneously.  They selected Key Pad #5 to search for information on Statewide Victim Service Agencies, 800 times.

APPRISS, Inc. also tabulates the number of phone calls, by area code, area code description and agency registrations that are made to the toll-free phone number 1-888-VINE-4-NY.  The attached “NY State In Bound and Out Bound Statistical Report” for December 2009 documents calls from 151 area codes, throughout the United States, to the VINE toll-free phone number seeking information about New York inmates.  This report is further testament of a Crime Victims continuing interest in their offender’s custody status, no matter where they reside.          

The New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute Inc. continues to work with APPRISS, Inc. to improve the overall delivery of this victim service.  We trust the above information is helpful in better understanding the reach of this victim service.