Wyoming Crime Victim Bill of Rights

The Victim/Witness Notification Program provides registered victims, witnesses, and advocates information and notification on offenders and parolees throughout the parole process.  Both the Board of Parole Victim Services Office and the Department of Corrections may provide information to those registered.  Once registered for notifications, a person will receive sentencing, movement, and hearing notifications. For victims wanting to be active in the parole process and provide input for the Board's review, they need to be registered with the program.

The Board notifies registered victims of its actions and of the offender’s status, provides them with the opportunity for input into its decision before they are made, provides education about the parole process, and makes referrals to other victim services.

Any person victimized by an offender who has been sentenced to incarceration in the Wyoming Department of Corrections is eligible to receive information and notification from the Board of Parole regarding the offender’s parole status as per the Wyoming Crime Victim Bill of Rights. Key witnesses and advocates may also register for notifications.

Victims must complete a notification request form in order to receive offender information. The form needs to be completed and sent to DOC for input into the system. 

Victim input can be an important factor in the Board's decision to parole and, if granted, what conditions may be required. Victims may choose to provide a victim impact statement (VIS) to the Board members and, if so, may do so in writing or verbally. A VIS is a victim's description of how the crime affected their life and the lives of  their loved ones. If you would like to participate in a victim interview, please contact the Victim Services Coordinator after receiving your hearing notice and it will be set up via video or telephone.  If you prefer to submit a written VIS, it may be sent to the VSO/VSC via postal mail or email at any time up to 14 days prior to an inmate's parole hearing. 

Restitution is the offender's debt to the victim for losses resulting from the crime. The Board of Parole may require repayment of restitution as a condition of parole. Per Wyoming Statute 7-9-103 (d), the restitution order is a civil judgement. The victim or prosecutor may request the clerk of court where the order was made to issue an execution (for seizure of money or property, garnishment of wages, etc.) in the same manner as in a civil action.

The Apology Letter Bank is a form of restorative justice that allows offenders who are incarcerated to write letters of apology to their victim for their crimes. Apologies are voluntarily written by offenders as an attempt to communicate acknowledgement of fault, responsibility, accountability, & remorse. If a letter is accepted, the victim is given the choice to receive and/or respond.