Tennessee § 41-21-240 - Notification to victims of inmate's release.

§ 41-21-240. Notification to victims of inmate's release.

At least ninety (90) days prior to the date an inmate serving a felony sentence of two (2) or more years in a facility operated by or under contract with the department of correction is scheduled to be released by reason of expiration of that inmate's sentence, any victim or victim's representative who complies with subsection (b) shall be given notice by the department of the tentative date of the inmate's scheduled release and that the date is subject to change as a result of the award or loss of sentence credits and other factors. The notice required by this section shall be in writing, unless the victim or victim's representative is registered with the state's electronic victim notification system, in which case the notice shall be communicated to the victim or victim's representative by the method or methods indicated by the registration in the system. The department's responsibility to provide this notice at least ninety (90) days prior to the tentative date of the inmate's scheduled release upon expiration is contingent upon the department's receipt of all relevant sentencing information within that time period. In order for a victim or victim's representative to be notified as provided in subsection (a), the victim or victim's representative must either send the department a written statement requesting notification and providing the address at which notification is to be made or register with the state's electronic victim notification system and specify the method or methods available within the system for communication of the notice. At any time a victim or victim's representative may withdraw a request for notification by sending the department a written notarized statement that the request for notification is withdrawn or, if the victim or victim's representative is registered with the state's electronic victim notification system, by cancelling that registration in the system. Pursuant to subsection (b), the notification required by subsection (a) shall be sent to the address provided by the victim or victim's representative if the notification is requested by written statement, or shall be communicated to the victim or victim's representative by the method or methods indicated by the registration in the state's electronic victim notification system if the victim or victim's representative is registered with that system. It is the responsibility of the victim or the victim's representative to provide the department with a current mailing address or other means of communication indicated in the electronic victim notification system registration. Any identifying information concerning a crime victim or a crime victim's representative who has been notified or requested that notification be provided to the victim or the victim's representative pursuant to this section shall be confidential. For purposes of subdivision (d)(1), “identifying information” means the name, home and work addresses, telephone numbers and social security number of the person being notified or requesting that notification be provided. Acts 1996, ch. 709, § 1; 2009, ch. 176, § 3; 2018, ch. 598, §§ 4-6. Compiler's Notes. Acts 1996, ch. 709, § 3 provided that this section shall apply to all requests for notification made on or after July 1, 1996. Cross-References. Confidentiality of public records, § 10-7-504 .