FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2002 WWW.USDOJ.GOV AG (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON, D.C. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced today that a national Victim Notification System (VNS) has been established to provide all victims of federal crimes and their families with information on case events. VNS is a cooperative effort among several Department of Justice components the FBI, the United States Attorneys' offices, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Office for Victims of Crime.
"The victims of horrific federal crimes and the family members of these victims have a right to be fully informed," Ashcroft said. "It is important that those who have suffered know as much as possible about the status of these cases." VNS is a free, computer-based system that provides to victims, via a toll-free number, information on scheduled court hearings and an offender's custody status, such as placement in community corrections centers, furlough, release or death. VNS is also being used to keep victims and victims' families of the September 11th terrorist attacks informed of trial events and schedules. "The Justice Department is making every effort to identify all the victims of the terrorist attacks and keep their families informed," Ashcroft said.
The U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria) and the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) used VNS to send letters to more than 3,000 identified victims and family members of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The letters included a description of the charges against accused terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui as well as information about significant court events scheduled in the Moussaoui case. Moussaoui has been charged with conspiring to commit the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Anyone who has not received a notification letter and who suffered direct physical or emotional injury as a result of the September 11th terrorist attacks, or is an immediate family member of someone who died during the terrorist attacks, should call 1-866-828-1834 for information. 02-175
Source: US Department of Justice
