Justification Report

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Purpose

The Crime Victims’ Rights Act Assessment conducted by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association analyzed the usability, technology, and identified system deficiencies.   At the core of the program is automated victim notification services. To achieve this goal, each sheriff’s office must successfully export jail population information from the local jail management system to the state’s victim notification system and the automated telephone and email notification system contacts victims in accordance with the requirements established by the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) engages in programs and projects to increase public safety in North Carolina.  By analyzing the current statewide automated victims’ assistance and notification system, SAVAN, including public use and use by law enforcement, courts, and corrections, the Association will identify program compliments and gaps in meeting the requirements established by the North Carolina Crime Victims’ Rights Act.

Project Background and Need for Assessment

North Carolina’s SAVAN program was established in 1998 with funding from the Governor’s Crime Commission (GCC).  Over the years, the GCC has continued to fund the program including personnel and a contract with a national victims’ notification software service provider. In January 2012 after 14 years of management by the GCC, the SAVAN program and notification system was transferred from the Governor’s Crime Commission under the former Department of Crime Control and Public Safety to the Office of Victims’ Services section in the newly formed Department of Public Safety.  This transition was the direct result of the 3 departments (i.e. Departments of Crime Control and Public Safety, Correction, and Juvenile Justice) consolidation and did not include funding for the SAVAN program.  The current grant funding used to support the SAVAN program is set to expire on June 30, 2014.  To avoid losing critical victim notification services, an assessment of the program and system was conducted to identify innovative methods to continue to provide victims, citizens, and law enforcement officers with critical information.

Project Scope

The assessment focused on identifying solutions for improving the process and procedures for collecting data from each county jail, the state prison system, and the Administrative Office of the Courts to efficiently provide the critical inmate custody and court information to victims.    To conduct the Crime Victims’ Rights Act Assessment, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association assembled a team of criminal justice professionals to complete this assessment.  To conduct the assessment of the current SAVAN program operations the team focused on two (2) core objectives: