Victim Services

Supporting Victims and their Families

The Tennessee Department of Correction is committed to supporting and providing direct services to victims of crime and their families. The department is mandated by law and policy to inform registered victims, survivors, family members, and interested parties of an offender's status, release dates, escapes, and movements with a lower security designation.

In order to increase awareness of the impact of crime on victims, their families, and entire communities, the Tennessee Department of Correction provides victim impact classes to offenders at each of its facilities and community supervision districts.  Victim Impact Classes are designed to educate offenders about the negative impact of their crime and to increase accountability and responsibility to victims in order to reduce recidivism.

Victim Services also provides a voluntary victim-offender dialogue program that gives victims the opportunity to have a structured, one-time, face-to-face meeting with the offender who has victimized them.  The confidential dialogue is initiated and driven by the victim of crime.

Click here for a printable version of the Victim Services brochure in pdf format.

Mission of Victim Services

To support victims, their families, and the laws that protect their rights, while utilizing recognized principles of offender behavioral change to help reduce the risk of repeat criminal behavior.

VINE Victim Registration

Victims of crime and their families have a right to receive information regarding offenders in TDOC custody.  To stay informed about the status of felony offenders who are in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction register through TDOC's Victim Notification System.

Go to VINElink.com and select Tennessee from the dropdown menu.  You may then search for an offender by name or TDOC #.  Once you have located the offender you are interested in receiving information about, click on RECORD DETAILS or GET NOTIFIED.  If you select get notified, after you have completed the registration, you will begin receiving electronic notifications either by text, email, TTY, or an automated phone call. Live operators are available to provide support 24/7 at (888) 868-4631.