AT&T to extend victim notification system

AT&T Government Solutions has received a $1.4 million contract modification from the Justice Department to make the department's Victim Notification System available to the public, the company said.

AT&T Government Solutions of Vienna, Va., and Appriss Inc. of Louisville, Ky., originally created the system so the Justice Department could provide crime victims with timely information about an alleged offender's scheduled court hearings and custody status.

AT&T built the database and secure intranet that federal victim coordinators use to enter cases and report updates. Appriss developed the victim notification application.

Under the new contract, AT&T and Appriss will develop a secure, self-service Web site where crime victims can update their contact information and stay informed regarding their case.

"It's very gratifying to be able to develop technology to help victims," said Hank Beebe, vice president of professional services at AT&T Government Solutions. "The new secure Web interface will make this process even easier."

In July, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service became the fourth agency to actively use the Victim Notification System. The agency is using the system to provide information to victims of mail-related crimes and identity theft.

Other agencies using the system are the FBI, the United States Attorneys' offices and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

With 2003 prime government IT revenues of $458.5 million, AT&T Corp. of Bedminster, N.J., ranked No. 20 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list.