The division's Sexual and Violent Offender Registry, or SVOR, has been available for years, allowing anyone with an Internet connection to search offender data free of charge. That search service is still available to Internet users for free. With the new service, the SVOR Download, companies or individuals may download the offender registry database for a $300 fee. Bill Griffenberg, administrator of the Department of Justice's Information Technology Services Division, said the department receives requests for access to the database from, among others, companies that perform background checks.
"The ability to search the registry by offender name or location will not change," Griffenberg said. "However, this new service provides public and private entities with a convenient way to get all of the registry information without having to make special requests of our programming staff."
The new service can be found on www.DiscoveringMontana.com, the state's official website, or on the Department of Justice website at www.doj.state.mt.us. SVOR records are public information.
Users must accept an online use agreement prior to downloading the database. The service includes instructions on how to download the data, and information on how the database is organized.
The SVOR Download service is the result of an alliance between state government and the private sector. The system was cooperatively developed and is supported by the Montana Department of Justice, the Montana Department of Administration's Information Technology Services Division and Montana Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment provider NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV).
Quelle: All American Patriots, 24.01.2005
