Victim Support Services (VSS)
- The State of Florida participates in the VINE Program. VINE is the nation’s leading victim notification network. It allows survivors, victims of crimes, and other concerned citizens to access timely and reliable information about offenders or criminal cases in U.S. jails and prisons.
Anyone can register to receive automated notifications via email, text, or phone call, or check custody status information online at any time.
The program is available in 48 states and covers 2,900 incarceration facilities. VINE is a lifesaving service that offers peace of mind to millions of people every day.
VINE is a free, secure, and confidential way to access custody status and criminal case information. Register for notifications and stay informed:
Registered parties may choose to receive release notifications by regular mail, electronically (phone call, text, and/or email) through the third-party VINE service or continue with the certified mail option.
Looking up Your Registration
You can look up your registrations in VINE at any time using your phone number or email address. Once you have selected your state, select Look Up Registrations. On the next screen, confirm that you are searching for your registrations by clicking Continue. To look up your registrations, enter the phone number (for phone call, SMS text, or TTY registrations) or the email address that was entered at the time of registration.
To keep your registrations secure, they need to send you a verification code before showing the registrations. You have the option to receive the verification in English or Spanish. Choose your preferred language and select Send Code. Enter the six-digit verification code you received and click Complete. The code will be active for 30 minutes. If the code has expired, select Send Me A New Code.
Your search results will display a list of all registrations for the notification method entered. For example, if you entered a phone number in your search, you will see phone call, text message, and TTY registrations.
For instructions in Creole, please contact VINE at 1-877-846-3435.If you are signed into your VINE account, you may see an option to add a registration to your account. To add this registration to your account, click Add to Account. To delete a registration, click Delete on the search result card. If you do not have an account, it is easy to create one. Then you can add those registrations to your account to keep them organized.
To view a full list of your registrations, select My Info, located near the top on a larger screen or inside the menu if you are on a smaller screen like a phone. Then, select Registrations. You may also view your registrations by selecting Registrations from your user account dropdown menu. If you have not created or signed into a VINE account, you will have the option to Create an Account or Sign In when you go to My Info.
If you encounter any problems with your registration, you can the Customer First Center at 1-866-277-7477, Select Option 2.
- Being a victim of a crime or a witness to a crime may be your first experience with the criminal justice system. As a victim, you have certain rights. This brochure provides information regarding those rights; however, for more information regarding your rights, please contact the State Attorney’s Office (SAO) or the law enforcement agency handling your case. The last page of this brochure provides contact information for agencies that can assist you further.
Who is the victim?
As used in this section, a “victim” is a person who suffers direct or threatened physical, psychological, or financial harm as a result of the commission or attempted commission of a crime or delinquent act or against whom the crime or delinquent act is committed. The term “victim” includes the victim’s lawful representative, the parent or guardian of a minor, or the next of kin of a homicide victim, except upon a showing that the interest of such individual would be in actual or potential conflict with the interests of the victim. The term “victim” does not include the accused. The terms “crime” and “criminal” include delinquent acts and conduct. Article 1, Section 16 (b)(11), Florida Constitution.
Article 1, Section 16 (b), Florida ConstitutionRights of Victims:
(b) To preserve and protect the right of crime victims to achieve justice, ensure a meaningful role throughout the criminal and juvenile justice systems for crime victims, and ensure that crime victims’ rights and interests are respected and protected by law in a manner no less vigorous than protections afforded to criminal defendants and juvenile delinquents, every victim is entitled to the following rights, beginning at the time of his or her victimization:(1) The right to due process and to be treated with fairness and respect for the victim’s dignity.
(2) The right to be free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse.
(3) The right, within the judicial process, to be reasonably protected from the accused and any person acting on behalf of the accused. However, nothing contained herein is intended to create a special relationship between the crime victim and any law enforcement agency or office absent a special relationship or duty as defined by Florida law.
(4) The right to have the safety and welfare of the victim and the victim’s family considered when setting bail, including setting pretrial release conditions that protect the safety and welfare of the victim and the victim’s family.
(5) The right to prevent the disclosure of information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family, or which could disclose confidential or privileged information of the victim.
(6) A victim shall have the following specific rights upon request:
a. The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of, and to be present at, all public proceedings involving the criminal conduct, including, but not limited to, trial, plea, sentencing, or adjudication, even if the victim will be a witness at the proceeding, notwithstanding any rule to the contrary. A victim shall also be provided reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any release or escape of the defendant or delinquent, and any proceeding during which a right of the victim is implicated.
b. The right to be heard in any public proceeding involving pretrial or other release from any form of legal constraint, plea, sentencing, adjudication, or parole, and any proceeding during which a right of the victim is implicated.
c. The right to confer with the prosecuting attorney concerning any plea agreements, participation in pretrial diversion programs, release, restitution, sentencing, or any other disposition of the case.
d. The right to provide information regarding the impact of the offender’s conduct on the victim and the victim’s family to the individual responsible for conducting any presentence investigation or compiling any presentence investigation report, and to have any such information considered in any sentencing recommendations submitted to the court.
e. The right to receive a copy of any presentence report, and any other report or record relevant to the exercise of a victim’s right, except for such portions made confidential or exempt by law.
f. The right to be informed of the conviction, sentence, adjudication, place and time of incarceration, or other disposition of the convicted offender, any scheduled release date of the offender, and the release of or the escape of the offender from custody.
g. The right to be informed of all postconviction processes and procedures, to participate in such processes and procedures, to provide information to the release authority to be considered before any release decision is made, and to be notified of any release decision regarding the offender. The parole or early release authority shall extend the right to be heard to any person harmed by the offender.
h. The right to be informed of clemency and expungement procedures, to provide information to the governor, the court, any clemency board, and other authority in these procedures, and to have that information considered before a clemency or expungement decision is made; and to be notified of such decision in advance of any release of the offender.
(7) The rights of the victim, as provided in subparagraph (6)a., subparagraph (6)b., or subparagraph (6)c., that apply to any first appearance proceeding are satisfied by a reasonable attempt by the appropriate agency to notify the victim and convey the victim’s views to the court.
(8) The right to the prompt return of the victim’s property when no longer needed as evidence in the case.
(9) The right to full and timely restitution in every case and from each convicted offender for all losses suffered, both directly and indirectly, by the victim as a result of the criminal conduct.
(10) The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay, and to a prompt and conclusion of the case and any related post judgment proceedings.
a. The state attorney may file a good faith demand for a speedy trial and the trial court shall hold a calendar call, with notice, within fifteen days of the filing demand, to schedule a trial to commence on a date at least five days but no more than sixty days after the date of the calendar call unless the trial judge enters an order with specific findings of fact justifying a trial date more than sixty days after the calendar call.
b. All state-level appeals and collateral attacks on any judgment must be complete within two years from the date of appeal in non-capital cases and within five years from the date of appeal in capital cases, unless a court enters an order with specific findings as to why the court was unable to comply with this subparagraph and the circumstances causing the delay. Each year, the chief judge of any district court of appeal or the chief justice of the supreme court shall report on a case-by-case basis to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate all cases where the court entered an order regarding inability to comply with this subparagraph. The legislature may enact legislation to implement this subparagraph.
(11) The right to be informed of these rights, and to be informed that victims can seek the advice of an attorney with respect to their rights. This information shall be made available to the general public and provided to all crime victims in the form of a card or by other means intended to effectively advise the victim of their rights under this section.
We understand that as a victim of a crime, your sense of safety and security may be diminished. We are committed to providing you with comprehensive information to help you navigate the challenges you may be facing.
Referrals for Victim Services:Abuse Hotline-Florida Department of Children and Families -1-800-962-2873
https://www.myflfamilies.comCrime Victim Advocates of Florida-1-772-444-5934
https://crimevictimsadvocate.comFlorida Council Against Sexual Violence-1-888-956-7273
https://www.fcasv.orgFlorida Department of Law Enforcement -Sex Offender/Sexual Predator Hotline-1-888-357-7332
https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/Mother Against Drunk Driving-1-877-623-3435
https://secure.madd.orgNational Center for Victims of Crime-1-202-467-8700
https://victimsofcrime.orgNational Domestic Violence Hotline-1-800-799-7233
https://www.thehotline.orgNational Human Trafficking Hotline-888-373-7888
https://humantraffickinghotline.orgOffice of the Attorney General-Crimes Compensation-1800-226-6667
https://www.myfloridalegal.comParent of Murdered Children-1-888-818-7662
https://pomc.orgState Attorney’s Office-305-547-0100
https://miamisao.comVINE-1-877-846-3435
https://vinelink.com - The primary function of Victim Support Services is to assist victims of crimes committed by inmates in the department's custody with the provision of information and referrals. Our office provides referral services to victims. Our number is 786-263-6318. Please do not hesitate to contact our office for any assistance.We understand that as a victim of a crime, your sense of safety and security may be diminished. At the Miami-Dade County Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations, we do all we can to make sure you have as much information and support as possible to help you with any issue you may be facing as a result of the crime committed against you.Please explore the Victims Services Referral Directory for comprehensive resources and support services tailored to assist crime victims. This directory offers valuable information and contacts to help guide you through your recovery process.
Corrections and Rehabilitation
Sherea Green
Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department Headquarters
3505 NW 107 Ave.,
Doral, FL 33178
786-263-7000 | [email protected]
