Section 214. Responsibilities of department, local correctional facilities and board.
(a) Forms.--The board shall develop standardized forms regarding victim notification. The form shall include the address where the form is to be sent. The department shall develop a standard form which may be used by local correctional facilities. In the case of counties with victim-witness coordinators, the local correctional facility shall perform its responsibilities under this section in cooperation with the county's victim-witness coordinator. ((a) amended July 11, 2022, P.L.775, No.77)
(b) Notice.--If the office has received notice of a victim's desire to have input under section 201(7), the appropriate agency shall notify the victim sufficiently in advance of a pending release decision to extend an opportunity for prior comment. The local correctional facility's notice to the victim under section 201(9) shall occur immediately. ((b) amended July 11, 2022, P.L.775, No.77)
(c) Comment.--The victim's prior comment may be oral or written and shall be considered by the department or the board as to the advisability of release and any conditions of release which may be imposed.
(d) Escape notification.--If the department or local correctional facility has received notice of a victim's desire to receive notification regarding escape of the offender as provided for in section 201(8), the superintendent of the State correctional institution or warden of a local correctional facility shall immediately notify the victim of the escape.
(e) Mental health.--If the department or local correctional facility has received notice of a victim's desire to receive notification as provided for in section 201(10), the superintendent of the State correctional institution or warden of a local correctional facility shall notify the victim of the commitment of the offender to a mental health facility and the location of the facility within 24 hours of the commitment.
(f) Records.--Records maintained by the department, the local correctional facility, the board and the office pertaining to victims shall be kept separate. Current address, telephone number and any other personal information of the victim and family members shall be deemed confidential. ((f) amended July 11, 2022, P.L.775, No.77)
(g) Release of offender.--The department, the local correctional facility or the board shall notify the victim of the final decision rendered, the date of any release and relevant conditions imposed prior to the release of the offender.
Compiler's Note: Section 16 of Act 77 of 2022 provided that the amendment or addition of sections 103, 201(1.1), (4), (5.2), (7), (8), (8.1), (9), (11) and (13), 211, 212(b), (c), (e) and (f), 213(a), (b), (d), (e), (f) and (g), 214(a), (b) and (f), 216(b) and (d), 301(a) and (c), 302(5), (6) and (7), 312(3), 701(a)(7) and (8), 701.1, 702(a) introductory paragraph, (b), (b.1) and (c), 703, 704(b)(1) and (e), 706(a)(1) and (b), 707(a)(3) and (4), (a.1), (a.2), (b)(1), (2), (4) and (4.1), (f)(1), (3) and (4) and (g), 709(a), 901, 1101(b), 1102(a), (b), (c), (d) and (e)(1), 1301(b) and 1304(a) and (b) shall apply to claims where the crime occurred after the effective date of section 16, except for claims for counseling services relating to sexual abuse under section 701.1.