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Pocono News Section
SAVIN System Warns Victims of Prisoner Release
SAVIN System Warns Victims of Prisoner Release - Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 5:55PM EST
Reported by: Mike Trim
Tuesday, Dec 29, 2009 @ 05:55pm EST
TUNKHANNOCK, WYOMING COUNTY -- When prisoners are released, victims are called and e-mailed. That's what a new system in Wyoming County does.
ItŐs called the Statewide Automated Victim Information System or SAVIN. "What we're trying to do is create a system where at least you will be notified when they're out of jail, so you can be prepared to possibly see them. I mean, we live in a small town," said Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick.
By signing on to SAVIN, a crime victim will be either called or emailed when a prisoner is released. Skumanick says the system is important for small towns because victims are more likely to cross path with offenders.
SAVIN also notifies victims anytime there's a change in custody for the prisoner, whether itŐs a hospital visit or if the prisoner is involved with a work release program.
Wyoming County Prison Warden Mickey Ameigh says 25 to 30 prisoners are release from his facility each month. He says the SAVIN system is just one more line of defense for a victim. "It's one of the most important things we do, quite frankly because the likelihood of having some kind of contact with the victim at least visually is very, very high. At least this way the victim will be forewarned," said Ameigh.
SAVIN was paid for in full by a federal Department of Justice grant. | | |
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