BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – A statewide notification system can mean the difference between life and death for a domestic violence survivor. When an abuser is being released from jail or prison, there is a plan in place to notify victims, so they have time to prepare.
Victims who have registered receive a notification from the state’s Integrated Victim Services System (IVSS).
“It’s important for victim safety. It’s a right for them to be notified of the changes with the offender,” said Amanda Gage, the Deputy Director of Victims Services at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, or TDCJ.
TDCJ created the IVSS system, which pushes out various updates and notifications to crime victims.
Until September 2025, victims had to register in two separate systems: IVSS for prison information and a different system called VINE for county jail information.
Now, victims register in just one place through IVSS and receive information about both.
However, the data still comes from two different sources, depending on where that person is being held.
If an offender is in a state prison, TDCJ handles that because the offender’s information is in that system.
Victims get multiple types of updates in the TDCJ notifications about prison releases.
“Information relating to the parole office that they may be reporting to, special conditions, what county, safety planning information, sex offender registry information,” Gage said.
Notifications from TDCJ come with more notice than county jails.
“Our release notifications aren’t the day of. They’re a few days prior to,” Gage said.
At the county jail level, offenders can bond out, so the notifications are different and more pressing.
That original bond and release information comes from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office records. It is then funneled to the state’s IVSS system, which pushes out an alert to the victim.
Bexar County confirmed to KSAT that there is an open communication line between BCSO and IVSS, so information transfers should be in real time. That means the victim can be notified immediately and make a safety plan.
KSAT previously reported on a new law that went into effect in September 2025, requiring domestic violence offenders in county jail to be held an extra four hours after they make bond. Survivors and advocates have mixed feelings about the effort.
Victims are encouraged to set up their profiles through the IVSS portal, where they can choose what types of notifications they get and when.
“Always ensure that their contact information is up to date and correct because that is also what depends on if they’re going to get timely notifications and if they have any questions to reach out to us and we can provide information and resources,” Gage said.
Any questions can be directed to the TDCJ Victim’s Services Division at 800-848-4284 or victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov.
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