Vermont DOC officials tell Corrections & Institutions committee VINE notifications hampered by data gaps; integration with prosecutors discussed

Members of the Corrections & Institutions committee heard Feb. 5 from Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) Victim Services staff about gaps in the state utomated victim-notification system known as VINE and discussed options to improve data sharing with state's attorneys.

Meredith Pilkey, director of victim services for the Vermont Department of Corrections, and Ashley Fisk, senior victim service specialist who manages the VINE system for DOC, told the committee that the state—stablished a Victim Services Unit in January 1999 to provide information, support and opportunities for victims to participate in the post-adjudication process.

Pilkey said the unit is small: a director, the senior victim services specialist, four regional victim service specialists and a 24/7 VINE line the two manage. "We wanted to start today by just telling you all a little bit about what we do at victim services for DOC," Pilkey said.

Fisk said the VINE system was implemented in 2010 after the department found it was not meeting statutory notification obligations. She said DOC has invested in improving data flow between systems and in refining the timing and content of…