SUNBURY -- Helping ease the anxiety of crime victims, Northumberland County now offers a free and automatic service of offenders' status in the county jail.

PA SAVIN is an automated system that immediately notifies victims, law enforcement, victim advocates and any member of the public who registers for the service whenever an offender is transferred, released or escapes a county prison.

"It's an important service. It puts the victim first in the criminal justice system," Northumberland County District Attorney Anthony Rosini said Friday.

A press conference was held at the county courthouse to get the word out that the service is free and available to all.

Northumberland County is among 39 counties in Pennsylvania that have implemented the system, along with Snyder, Union and Montour.

All 63 counties operating county jails are expected to offer the service by the end of the year and the state has obtained a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to expand the program to track state prison inmates.

B.J. Horn, director of victim services at Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, said the service gives peace of mind to victims of violent crime.

"Sometimes calling at night before going to bed to confirm the status of an offender means the difference between going to sleep and tossing and turning all night," Horn said.

Northumberland County victim-witness coordinator Candace Armstrong said she recently got a panicked call from a sexual assault victim worried that her attacker was out of jail.

The victim had received erroneous information on a Saturday and was so scared she stayed inside her home for two days until she got in touch with Armstrong the following Monday.

"She was in an absolute panic," Armstrong related, explaining how the PA SAVIN system could have helped ease her mind by allowing her to confirm by telephone or online whether the offender was free.

Victims and people who care for them are encouraged to register for the free automatic notification system at (866) 972-7284 or online at www.pacrimevictims.state.pa.us