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INDIANAPOLIS--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--IN.gov and Indiana Attorney Generalas office launched the Hope Card Program in an effort to provide Hoosiers with a new informational tool that will also aid law enforcement in quickly identifying persons who violate protective orders.

"Ultimately, this will save the victim critical time and allow police to act more quickly against the abuser."

Victims of domestic violence, stalking, and/or sexual assault who have a court issued protection order are given paper documents and advised to keep a copy with them at all times to show police if the respondent is in violation.

aThrough this new statewide program, law enforcement will be able to use a victimas wallet-sized Hope Card to obtain an immediate snapshot of the protective order,a said Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller. aUltimately, this will save the victim critical time and allow police to act more quickly against the abuser.a

Anyone with a protective order lasting for a year or more can request a Hope Card through one of 70 victim advocate offices throughout the state.

Hope Cards contain information about the person ordered to stay away such as name, height, and weight as well as a color photo if available. On the reverse side there is information specific to the protective order including case number and expiration date along with the petitioneras name and any other persons protected by the order.

Hope Cards are provided free of charge by the Indiana Attorney Generalas Office to the petitioner named in the protective order. After petitioners receive their initial Hope Card, they can purchase additional cards in order to allow family or others protected by the order to carry a duplicate card.

The Hope Card Program is only the third of its kind with similar programs active in Montana and Idaho.

For more information about the Hope Card Program, visit [ www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/hopecard/ ].

About IN.gov

IN.gov is the official Web site of the state of Indiana ([ www.IN.gov ]) and a service of the Indiana Office of Technology. The IN.gov program is a collaborative effort between the state of Indiana and Indiana Interactive. Indiana Interactive is the official eGovernment solutions provider for the state of Indiana. The company builds and manages interactive government services on behalf of the state and is a wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV).

About NIC

NIC (NASDAQ:EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of government Web sites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company's innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. The NIC family of companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,500 federal, state, and local agencies across the United States. Additional information is available at [ http://www.egov.com ].