[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM NOTIFICATION SYSTEM ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SCOTTY BAESLER

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 20, 1998

  Mr. BAESLER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce the Victims 
Notification or ``VINE'' Act to amend the Violence Against Women Act. 
This Act builds on the success of the Violence Against Women Act, the 
1994 Crime bill and provisions I authored to prevent rural domestic 
violence, and the establishment of the first statewide VINE system in 
my home state of Kentucky.
  Kentucky Governor Paul Patton's Office of Child Abuse and Domestic 
Violence Services launched the first statewide VINE system in the 
nation in 1997. Since its inception, the statewide victim notification 
system has registered almost 4,300 victims and others who wished to be 
registered, and has made over 1,000 notifications upon the release of 
an inmate. In January of 1998, the juvenile detention facilities were 
also brought on line with the VINE system.
  Drawing on the proven success of the VINE system and the National 
Domestic Violence Hotline, the new National VINE system established by 
this legislation would constitute an integrated computer and phone 
system whereby victims of domestic and sexual crimes would receive 
notification of vital information concerning their assailants, such as 
release from prison, probation hearings, etc. Like the National Crime 
Information Center and the computer systems for child support 
enforcement and child care background checks, VINE would enlist state-
of-the-art technology as a weapon in the war against domestic violence 
and sex crimes.
  The legislation does this by establishing a private, non-profit 
entity to establish and run a VINE system with a Justice Department 
grant. The VINE system will provide information concerning domestic 
violence and sex crime convicts' correctional and legal status to sex 
crime and domestic abuse victims, as well as information concerning 
legal recourse and resources available to victims. Finally, the 
legislation outlines logistical requirements for the VINE system, 
including creation of a 24 hour toll free hotline and automated system 
that would proactively call to contact victims.
  Mr. Speaker, the VINE system was originally created in Jefferson 
County, Kentucky, as a county-wide notification system for victims 
after the 1993 murder of Mary Byron. Ms. Byron was killed by her ex-
boyfriend after he was released from the Jefferson County correctional 
system without her knowledge. She was shot seven times by Donovan 
Harris as she left work on that day, her 21st birthday. Mr. Harris had 
been incarcerated for the rape and kidnapping of Ms. Byron less than a 
month before. Congress should enact this legislation on behalf of all 
the victims of domestic violence and sexual crimes--and to the memory 
of Mary Byron.

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