What is the Victim Notification System?
Alabama victims and other concerned citizens can use this Victim Notification System (VNS) to receive notifications for the offender who has impacted your life and/or that of your loved ones. By registering on this site, you can choose how (or if) to receive future notifications and can update your contact information when it changes.
Crime victims have the legal right in Alabama to be treated with fairness and respect, and to be informed, present and heard at all crucial stages of the criminal justice process. The VNS provides individuals with the opportunity to receive notifications such as:
o Upcoming hearings to consider an inmate for parole (or a pardon)
o If an inmate is released for medical reasons
o Participation by an inmate in furlough or leave
o An inmate’s release from ADOC custody for mandatory supervision
o Changes in status or custody
o An inmate’s end of sentence or death
Coping with the trauma and the aftermath of a violent act can be rather overwhelming and confusing. In many cases, even after an offender is convicted and sentenced to prison, the journey can still be quite complex and daunting. The VNS serves as the State’s automated notification system, so victims aren’t required to register with multiple state agencies. Feel free to encourage other family members and friends to also register for notifications, if appropriate for your circumstance.
Electronic messages (text message and email) notifications from the VNS will simply indicate you have an important message and will provide a link routing you to the official notice on the website. Electronic messages will not contain details on specific inmate(s) or the reason for the notification due to the sensitive nature of the notice.
While this useful tool can keep you updated on an inmate’s status, it is ONLY for offenders who have been convicted and sentenced to ADOC custody.
The new VNS website was released in March 2024. If you have registered previously in another version of the Alabama Victim Notification System, you will need to register again on this website.
Where can I go for more information or with questions for victim assistance?
• Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles: www.paroles.alabama.gov
• Alabama Department of Corrections: Home Page - Alabama Dept of Corrections
• Alabama Department of Corrections – Inmate Search: https://doc.alabama.gov/InmateSearch
• Alabama Attorney General’s Office for Victim Assistance: https://www.alabamaag.gov/victim-assistance
• Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission: https://acvcc.alabama.gov
What terms are used on the site?
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VNS: Victim Notification System. An electronic system that allows users to register for notification on offenders.
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ABPP: Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.
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ADOC: Alabama Department of Corrections.
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User Name: The unique identifier used to identify an individual’s account. The User Name is required to log in to the VNS. The User Name cannot change and should be something that is easy to recall.
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Notification Type: The form of notification you wish to receive. Options are: Text Message, Email, US Mail, and Certified Mail. The VNS will automatically send Text Message and Email notifications. The VNS will notify ADOC and/or ABPP to send notifications via US Mail or Certified Mail. There are statutory restrictions for receipt of Certified Mail.
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Relationship Status: This is the user’s relationship with an offender. The VNS provides the following options for relationship status: Victim, Parent/Guardian (minor designation), Immediate Family, Victim’s Representative, and Interested Party. Some relationship statuses (Victim, Parent/Guardian (minor designation), and Immediate Family) require statutory victim validation from ABPP.
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Relationship Type: This is the familial relationship to the victim associated with the chosen offender. If a user selects the relationship status of “Immediate Family” then the VNS will ask for a relationship type.
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Statutory Victim: A statutory victim is considered the victim named in the indictment, or immediate family of a victim who is deceased as a result of the criminal offense. “Immediate family” shall be defined as follows: (a) If the victim is a minor at the time of death, his/her custodial parent(s) or legal guardian and any siblings are his/her immediate family. (b) If the victim is married at the time of death, the surviving spouse is his/her immediate family, to the exclusion of his/her parents and any siblings. If minor children of the victim survive the victim, they are his/her immediate family. (c) If the victim is a single adult at the time of his/her death, and is survived by his/her parents, the parents are his/her immediate family; if no parents, his/her siblings are the immediate family. If minor children of the victim survive the victim, they are his/her immediate family.
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Statutory Validation Status: A status of either N/A, Applied For, Confirmed, or Denied will appear when a user requests to receive notifications for an offender when the relationship status to the offender is one of the statutory relationships (Victim, Parent/Guardian (minor designation), Immediate Family). Requests for statutory validation are submitted, reviewed, and acted upon by the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.
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Statutory Validation Date: This is the date the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles completed review of the requested statutory status.
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Last Action Date: The date the last action was taken associated with a given offender.
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Current Location: Facility where the Inmate is housed currently.
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ADOC Sentence Date: The date that the sentence was imposed.
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Offense: The crime that was committed by the inmate and for which he/she is serving a sentence.
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County of Offense: The county where the offense committed.
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Release Date: The date that the inmate is actually released from ADOC custody.
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Mandatory Release to Supervision: Projected date that the inmate will be released to supervision of ABPP.
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Minimum Release Date: The earliest date that the inmate can be released from ADOC.
How can I change my relationship status with an offender?
To change your relationship status with an offender, you must opt out of notification for the offender under the current relationship status then you will need to select to receive notice with a new relationship status. The relationship to an offender may change over time, and some relationship statuses require statutory validation.
What notifications will the VNS send?
• Medical Release of Inmate
• Release from ADOC for Mandatory Supervision
• Participation by Inmate in Furlough, Leave, or Program
• Board of Pardons and Paroles Meetings
• Board of Pardons and Paroles Actions – For Victims
• Board of Pardons and Paroles Actions – Related to Granting a Pardon or Parole
• Change in Status or Custody
• Notice of End of Sentence or Death
What legal requirements are included in the Code of Alabama for the VNS?
• Code of Alabama: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama
• Section 14-14-5: VNS notifications for Medical Release of Inmate
• Section 15-22-23: VNS notifications for Board of Pardons and Paroles Meetings
• Section 15-22-26.2: VNS notifications for Release from ADOC for Mandatory Supervision
• Section 15-22-36.2: ALEA responsibility for VNS, VNS as the automated notification system for making notifications to Alabama crime victims, VNS notifications for Change of Status or Custody
• Section 15-22-36: VNS notifications for Board of Pardons and Paroles Actions
• Section 15-22-36.3: VNS notifications for Participation by Inmate in Furlough, Leave, or Program