Cook County State's Attorney's Office:
Press Releases

Richard A. Devine
Cook County State's Attorney
500 Richard J. Daley Center
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-3423

Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine has announced a new Internet-based option that informs victims, witnesses or other concerned parties of a defendant's custody status. This information can be accessed from any personal computer with Internet access and augments the office's telephone-based victim notification system.

The system, called VINELink, for Victim Information and Notification Everyday, is available to users at www.vinelink.com. After selecting Illinois from the map or pull-down menu, users can search for any offender with a case in Cook County. Users can also search other counties in Illinois, the Illinois Department of Corrections, and other participating jurisdictions around the country to see if an offender is in custody. When the custody status of an offender changes, VINELink will send a notification e-mail message in English, Spanish or Polish to the e-mail address you specify. Notification of a change in custody status by telephone is already available via the Automated Victim Notification (AVN) system.

In July, VINELink users will be able to access the status of court dates for individuals in addition to their custody status. The new system has been launched in cooperation with the Office of the Chief Judge, the Sheriff's Office, the Clerk of the Circuit Court and President Stroger's Bureau of Information, Technology and Automation.

"This is another resourceful tool for victims and family members who are coping with a difficult process," Devine said. "Providing information online modernizes our practices and assists our number one priority, crime victims."

Users with questions concerning VINELink can call (773) 869-5454. Information on the new system is also available at www.statesattorney.org. The telephone method of obtaining court and custody information through the AVN system will continue to be available to individuals who do not have not have Internet access at (877) 846-3445.

Since October 2000, AVN has handled more than 370,000 calls and has made more than 29,000 notifications to 13,325 victims.

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