| Columbia County Sheriff's Office |
David W. Harrison, Jr., SHERIFF James R. Sweet, UNDERSHERIFF
| Copyright ©2006 Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Hudson, NY 12534 |
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Observes Crime Victims’ Rights Week
March 29, 2010
Sheriff David W. Harrison, Jr., reports that crime victims, survivors, and those who serve them are joining together to
commemorate National Crime Victim’s Rights Week, a time to honor the individuals and the ideals that inspired the
victim’s rights movement, April 18 to 24, 2010.
This year’s theme is “Crime Victims’ Rights: Fairness. Dignity. Respect.” This reflects the decades-long struggle to
secure victims’ rights in communities across the nation.
The most important struggle had been the right to access services that can help them rebuild their lives, and the right to
be notified if an offender is released from jail or prison. The New York Sheriffs’ Victim Hotline is a free, confidential
service available in the State of New York to help support and uphold these rights. The New York Sheriffs’ Victim
Hotline gives victims and other concerned citizens around-the-clock access to the custody status of offenders in jail and
provides automated telephone or e-mail notification.
“Most victims have their basic human rights of fairness, dignity, and respect stripped away during a crime. And for some
of them, the judicial process may further strip away those rights. VINE helps to restore those rights by keeping victims
informed and involved in their cases”, explained Sheriff Harrison.
This Victim Information and Notification Service (VINE) was created in 1994 following the murder of Mary Byron in
Louisville, Kentucky. She and her parents had asked to be notified when Mary’s ex-boyfriend was released from jail.
They were never told that he was released, and this man murdered Mary on her 21st birthday. Today the New York
Sheriff’s Hotline delivers an average of 90,198 phone calls and 7,024 email notifications to registered victims each
year. Since 2002, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has sponsored the New York State Victim’s Hotline (VINE –
Victim Information and Notification Everyday) and for more information, or to register, go to www.vinelink.com or call 1-
888-VINE-4-NY.
Over the last three decades, a grassroots movement to combat unfair treatment of crime victims in the judicial system
has resulted in a great deal of progress. Currently, every state has a victims’ bill of rights and a victim compensation
program, 32 states have victims’ rights constitutional amendments and more than 10,000 victim assistance programs
operate in communities across the nation.
In early April, Sheriff Harrison, Sr/Inv. Kevin Skype, Inv. Anthony Brahm and Deputy Sheriff Kevin Marchetto traveled to
New York City to attend the Northeast Regional Victim Rights Conference. The Conference was put on by all of the
United States Attorneys assigned to the New York Federal Districts. The Conference and lodging was paid for by the
US Attorneys Office. Over 200 attendees consisting of law enforcement officers, prosecutors and victim advocates from
all across New York and adjoining states attended the conference. Subjects of the Conference targeted current issues
for victims rights as well as crime victim support from the time a person is victimized through the conclusion of the
judicial system.
For additional information on the New York Sheriffs’ Victim Hotline, please contact Lt. Thomas H. Lanphear, Jr., Sheriff’s
Office VINE Coordinator at 518-697-0116 or about other services for victims of crimes in Columbia County visit the
Sheriff’s Office website at www.columbiacountysheriff.us.
March 29, 2010
Sheriff David W. Harrison, Jr., reports that crime victims, survivors, and those who serve them are joining together to
commemorate National Crime Victim’s Rights Week, a time to honor the individuals and the ideals that inspired the
victim’s rights movement, April 18 to 24, 2010.
This year’s theme is “Crime Victims’ Rights: Fairness. Dignity. Respect.” This reflects the decades-long struggle to
secure victims’ rights in communities across the nation.
The most important struggle had been the right to access services that can help them rebuild their lives, and the right to
be notified if an offender is released from jail or prison. The New York Sheriffs’ Victim Hotline is a free, confidential
service available in the State of New York to help support and uphold these rights. The New York Sheriffs’ Victim
Hotline gives victims and other concerned citizens around-the-clock access to the custody status of offenders in jail and
provides automated telephone or e-mail notification.
“Most victims have their basic human rights of fairness, dignity, and respect stripped away during a crime. And for some
of them, the judicial process may further strip away those rights. VINE helps to restore those rights by keeping victims
informed and involved in their cases”, explained Sheriff Harrison.
This Victim Information and Notification Service (VINE) was created in 1994 following the murder of Mary Byron in
Louisville, Kentucky. She and her parents had asked to be notified when Mary’s ex-boyfriend was released from jail.
They were never told that he was released, and this man murdered Mary on her 21st birthday. Today the New York
Sheriff’s Hotline delivers an average of 90,198 phone calls and 7,024 email notifications to registered victims each
year. Since 2002, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has sponsored the New York State Victim’s Hotline (VINE –
Victim Information and Notification Everyday) and for more information, or to register, go to www.vinelink.com or call 1-
888-VINE-4-NY.
Over the last three decades, a grassroots movement to combat unfair treatment of crime victims in the judicial system
has resulted in a great deal of progress. Currently, every state has a victims’ bill of rights and a victim compensation
program, 32 states have victims’ rights constitutional amendments and more than 10,000 victim assistance programs
operate in communities across the nation.
In early April, Sheriff Harrison, Sr/Inv. Kevin Skype, Inv. Anthony Brahm and Deputy Sheriff Kevin Marchetto traveled to
New York City to attend the Northeast Regional Victim Rights Conference. The Conference was put on by all of the
United States Attorneys assigned to the New York Federal Districts. The Conference and lodging was paid for by the
US Attorneys Office. Over 200 attendees consisting of law enforcement officers, prosecutors and victim advocates from
all across New York and adjoining states attended the conference. Subjects of the Conference targeted current issues
for victims rights as well as crime victim support from the time a person is victimized through the conclusion of the
judicial system.
For additional information on the New York Sheriffs’ Victim Hotline, please contact Lt. Thomas H. Lanphear, Jr., Sheriff’s
Office VINE Coordinator at 518-697-0116 or about other services for victims of crimes in Columbia County visit the
Sheriff’s Office website at www.columbiacountysheriff.us.