Victim notification
If you are a victim of a crime, you have a right to be notified:
- Of custody status changes for persons in jails and prisons.
- At different stages for a person subject to a petition for a civil commitment.
Notification from jails and prisons
Following arrest: Release from jail
Victims of violent crime have a right to be notified of the pretrial release of an incarcerated person from a county jail or local detention facility.
You do not have to make a specific request to receive this notification. You should register with Minnesota VINE, the automated victim notification service to ensure timely and reliable notification
After conviction: Release from jail
To receive custody status change notifications after a conviction, you must make a request to the jail or facility where the incarcerated person is housed. Contact the county jail to request release notification.
You can also register with Minnesota VINE for release information.
After conviction: Release from prison
The Minnesota Haven service provides notifications to victims of the change in custody status of persons incarcerated in a Department of Corrections (DOC) facility, also referred to as prison.
To request notification of changes in custody, register with the Minnesota Haven service.
Civil commitment notifications
Civil commitment refers to a court process where a person is voluntarily or involuntarily committed to a treatment facility.
You have a right to be notified when the:
- County attorney files a petition for civil commitment against the person who has harmed you.
- Department of Health Services is considering a change in status of the person under civil commitment.