The vast majority of states have a statute or a constitutional amendment requiring that the victim be notified before the offender is released from prison. ^[1]      Regardless of whether the inmate to be released has a mental illness, releasing authorities and correctional staff must comply with victim notification requirements.

Efforts should be made through correctional crime victim specialists and community-based crime victim agencies to reach out to crime victims and inform them of the pending release date of those who have victimized them, to educate them as to the decisions being made on behalf of the offender, and to provide them information about the measures being taken to ensure their safety.