LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — It’s a life-saving tool that’s been in Tennessee for years — but far too many victims don’t know it exists.
State officials are urging the public to learn about SAVIN, the Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification system. The program alerts victims and their families any time an offender’s custody status changes — giving them precious time to prepare, protect and act.
“Whether you know you have that 15 minutes or 30 minutes, those are saving minutes,” said Chassity Crutchfield, Tennessee’s SAVIN coordinator. “Those are life minutes for somebody.”
The call for awareness comes after the killing of Samarah Smith, a young Clarksville mother who had left an abusive relationship. Crutchfield said she saw reporting on Smith’s death and felt compelled to make sure more people know about the program.
“It definitely could have been something that maybe was helpful for her — or at least helpful for other people who don’t know about it,” she said.
Tennessee launched SAVIN in 2009 as part of the national VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) network. The system updates automatically every 15 minutes when an offender’s custody status changes, including when someone is booked, released or transferred.
Notifications can be sent by phone, text, email or through a mobile app — and the service is free. It’s not just for crime victims: friends, family members, and even community members can sign up.
All that’s required is the offender’s name and date of birth. The service is also available in hundreds of languages.
Crutchfield says the biggest challenge isn’t technology — it’s awareness.
"I did have a few victim coordinators when I reached out to them that said that they were not aware of the program. So that's even scary for our coordinators that are trying to help everybody. So just getting it out there has been really huge for me since I got this position," Crutchfield said.
Anyone can enroll online or by phone in just a few minutes. Officials hope more people will share the program with others — especially those at risk.
For more information on Tennessee’s SAVIN program and to register, visit the website.
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