WYOMING VICTIM BILL OF RIGHTS

The right to be treated with compassion, respect, and sensitivity within the criminal justice system.

The right to know the whereabouts of the defendant and the current status of the case.

The right to receive restitution from offenders.

The right to know all rights under this law including information about services and victim assistance at the local level.

The right to know about victim compensation.

The right to reasonable protection and safety and the right to know of legal recourse if threatened.

The right to prompt return of property.

The right to preservation of employment while participating in the criminal justice system.

The right to be informed about the opportunity to make a victim impact statement at sentencing and parole hearings.

The right to be present at trial. 

If you are the victim of a crime, surviving family member (immediate), parent/legal guardian of a victim, or have participated in the criminal prosecution of a case, and you wish to receive information regarding an offender, you MUST notify the Victim Notification Program in the following manner:

1. Obtain a "Notification of Rights and Request Form".  This can be done either from this web page or through the prosecuting attorney's office in the county where the crime originally took place.

   1. • Click here to access the form online.  

      • Completed copies can be emailed as an attachment to doc-victim-services@wyo.gov.  

2. Alternatively, you can submit a printed form to either the prosecutor's office in the county where the crime occurred or to the WDOC at the address below.  

   1. • One of those agencies will then complete the remainder of the form and determine if you are entitled to notification.  

      • Request forms do need to be signed, so please print them, and then they can be mailed or attached to an email. 

3. A member of the prosecutor's office staff or WDOC Victim Notification Program can provide you with any help needed in completing the form.

4. Be sure you complete all the information on the form and save a copy for yourself. 

5. Notification will begin once it has been verified that you are entitled to notification and the Wyoming Department of Corrections has your request form on file. 

All information provided on the Notification of Rights and Request Form (including information requests, identity of requestors, and contact information) is CONFIDENTIAL.

VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) - Automated Victim Notification System 

In addition to written notification through the Wyoming Department of Corrections' Victim Notification Program, Wyoming has implemented a statewide automated victim information and notification service.

Wyoming VINE helps victims of crime obtain information about the custody status of their offender.  VINE is a free service that is available 24-hours a day, is available in English and Spanish, and all registrations are confidential.

For information about VINE or to register call 1.866.994.8463 or visit https://www.vinelink.com.

If you are the victim of a crime, surviving family member, parent/legal guardian of a victim, or have participated in the criminal prosecution of a case, AND you complete and submit the “Notification of Rights and Request Form" you will be able to receive the information listed below from each respective agency:

WDOC - Incarceration Matters

• Commencement of sentence and location

• Anticipated release date

• Work release

• Escape/Recapture

• Death of offender

• Reductions or extensions of sentence

• Change in location 

  • • Both while incarcerated and on parole, including transfer of supervision via the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision

• Furloughs

• Notice and opportunity to provide input prior to offender’s acceptance to a Community Corrections program

Board of Parole - Parole Matters

• Notice and opportunity to provide input into parole hearings (input can be given)

• Restitution matters  (input can be given)

• Granting or modification of parole

• Pending revocation of parole

• Absconsion/Apprehension

• Rescission of parole

• Discharge from parole

• Notice and opportunity to provide input regarding pending commutations

Attorney General’s Office

• Application for pardon

• Appeal of offender’s case

NOTE:

The items listed with"(input can be given)" allow for the opportunity to provide input into Community Corrections placement, Parole Board hearings, and restitution matters. This is afforded only to those individuals who are the actual victim (to include surviving family members & parent/legal guardian of a minor or incompetent victim) of the crime.

1.      What does an inmate’s sentence mean?

Victims, survivors, and others often want to know how long an offender will stay in prison. Factors used in determining the length of time include the court-ordered sentence, jail credit and the amount of good time the inmate earns under Wyoming’s “good time” system.

Upon an inmate’s arrival, the prison’s Records Office reviews the court order(s) and calculates the minimum and maximum length of sentence as stipulated. Any time spent incarcerated prior to the sentencing date is usually credited toward the minimum and maximum sentence. When ordered by the court, the inmate may serve multiple sentences concurrently (at the same time) or consecutively (one after another). Inmates sentenced to consecutive prison terms remain incarcerated until the final sentence has been served.

 2.      What is Good Time?

Offenders sentenced to incarceration in a Wyoming state correctional facility are eligible to earn good time allowances which can reduce their minimum and maximum sentence by up to fifteen (15) days per month for each month served on a sentence, unless it is a life sentence or a death sentence.  The ability to receive good time allowance is directly affected by an inmate’s adherence to the rules and participation in assigned work and programming.

3.      How many correctional facilities are in Wyoming?

Wyoming has five (5) adult correctional facilities and three privately owned community corrections facilities. These institutions and locations are as follows:

Wyoming Department of Corrections Facilities:

• Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp; P. O. Box 160; Newcastle, Wyoming 82701

• Wyoming Honor Farm; 40 Honor Farm Road; Riverton, Wyoming 82501

• Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution; 7076 RD 55F; Torrington, Wyoming 82240

• Wyoming State Penitentiary/Wyoming Boot Camp; P. O. Box 400; Rawlins, Wyoming 82301

• Wyoming Women’s Center; P. O. Box 300; Lusk, Wyoming 82225

Contracted Facilities:

• Casper Re-entry Center; P.O. Box 2380/10081 Landmark Lane; Mills, Wyoming  82644  

• Cheyenne Transitional Center; 322 W. 17th St.; Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001 

• Volunteers of America - Booth Hall; P. O. Box 1346/1299 Raymond St.; Gillette, Wyoming 82718

 4.    What determines where an inmate will be housed?

Wyoming uses a classification tool to safely maintain inmates by identifying their security and program needs. Each inmate is rated according to several factors. These include public risk (security needs), institutional risk (custody needs), medical health care needs, mental health needs, training and programming needs, substance abuse educational needs, education needs, vocational training needs, and work skills. With safety and security as priorities, risks to the public and the prison environment are always addressed first.

Wyoming Division of Victim Services

For other victim services and questions about victim compensation please reach out via phone or the website below:

Telephone - 307.777.7200 

Website - https://dvs.wyo.gov/

Wyoming board of parole

For information about the Wyoming Board of Parole, parole hearings, and parole supervision please reach out via phone or the website below:

Telephone - 307.777.5444

Website - http://boardofparole.wyo.gov/

National Center for Victims of Crime:

For information about the National Center for Victims of Crime, please reach out via phone or the website below:

Telephone - 1.855-484-2846

Website - https://victimsofcrime.org/