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NY Sheriff's Victim Hotline (VINE)

Many victims live in fear that the criminal offender who victimized them may someday return to do so again. For these victims and their families and friends, it is important to know that the offender is incarcerated in a correctional facility - and to know if and when that offender is released from custody. The New York Sheriff's Victim Hotline will tell you if an offender is in jail or prison in the State of New York and will give you other important custody information. The Victim Hotline will also let you leave a phone number where you want to be automatically notified when that offender is released, transferred or escapes.

What do I need to do?

• Call 1-888-846-3469 from a touch-tone phone and follow the directions. The Victim Hotline will tell you the custody status of the offender.

• If the offender is in custody, you can leave up to two phone numbers where you want to be notified when there is a change in the offender's custody status. Enter the area code and phone number, followed by the pound (#) key.

• When the Victim Hotline asks, make up and enter a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) code that will be easy for you to remember. The New York Sheriffs' Victim Hotline will ask for the PIN code when it calls you.

• When the New York Sheriffs' Victim Hotline calls, listen to the message, then enter your PIN when asked. Entering the PIN lets the Victim Hotline know that you got the call.

View the VINE training video

Hotline Facts

• The offender will not know you are registered with the New York Sheriffs' Victim Hotline.

• The hotline will call every 30 minutes until either a PERSON or answering machine answers the phone and then every 2 hours for 48 hours thereafter until the pin number is entered.

• Since the New York Sheriffs' Victim Hotline calls automatically when an offender's custody status changes you may get a notification call in the middle of the night.

• Do not leave a phone number with the New York Sheriffs' Victim Hotline that rings to a switchboard unless the switchboard operator has your PIN code to confirm the message.

• Do not leave a pager number.

• The New York Sheriff's' Victim Hotline monitors offenders in New York's County Jails, the New York City Department of Corrections and the New York State Department of Correctional Services.

• Do not depend solely on the New York Sheriffs' Victim Hotline, or any other single program, for your protection. Make the Hotline part of your safety plan.

• You can leave more than two phone numbers with the New York Sheriffs' Victim Hotline. Just call the Hotline again.