Wyoming Inmate Search
Inmate records are a local, state, or federal-facilitated method of getting information on incarcerated individuals. The information is important not only to family, friends, and well-wishers but to the victims of the criminals as well. The government typically provides databases through which interested parties can view inmate profiles, charges, sentencing information, parole statuses, and general welfare. This information is provided free of charge from government-sponsored portals and is updated on a regular basis.
When a person is doing an inmate search at the state level, the results will yield data on whether the individual of interest has been imprisoned within the jurisdiction. Usually, the database may only show the individuals currently in custody though some states provide access to the past and all current records. This is important not only to family, friends, and well-wishers but to the victims of the criminals as well. The government typically provides databases through which interested parties can view inmate profiles, charges, sentencing information, parole statuses, and general welfare. This information is provided free of charge from government-sponsored portals and is updated.
To do a successful inmate records search, the party should know minimal information on the inmate. They can be required to fill in their names, dates of birth, booking or incarceration numbers, and where they are imprisoned. Sometimes the inmate information is unavailable even after providing the required information. In this case, it is possible that the inmate is in a federal facility or in jail, which is not included in the state databases. This information is maintained by the State Department of Corrections, which also provides policy information on contact, visitation, and sending money. Any information on inmate welfare can also be sourced by contacting the DOC.
What Are Wyoming Inmate Records?
Wyoming inmate records refer to documentation on persons incarcerated in the state. The information may include physical attributes such as height, weight, age, eye color, gender mugshots of the offender, and other sentencing information. All interested parties can access this information despite Wyoming being a closed records state. That is per the Wyoming Public Records Act, allowing individuals to access the searches.
There are exceptions concerning the information one is allowed to access, especially if it pertains to matters of a personal nature. That which is considered confidential is not accessible to all requesters. Third-party sites also offer record seekers an avenue of accessing inmate searches, though these are not government-sponsored, and the information is obtained from various channels. However, interested parties may be required to pay to access the data on these platforms.
Alternatively, if the information on the inmate is not available via the link provided by the Wyoming Department of Corrections, they may have been imprisoned in federal prison or local jail. The difference is with a federal facility; the inmate information is not available on state databases but on the Federal Bureau of Prisons databases. Some county jails may not be synched with the state database, so the information is not available from the DOC. In these cases, it would be advisable to source the inmate information directly from the county corrections database, which the sheriff’s office usually maintains. The county sheriff may also be contacted concerning inmate queries in person, by phone, or through mail.
What Are Wyoming Prison and Jail Records?
The Wyoming Department of Corrections presides over the prison system in the state. It emphasizes tenets of rehabilitation, case management, public safety, correctional standards, and stewardship. The Department of Corrections supervises four male and one female facility. These are the Honor Conservation Camp, Honor Farm, Medium Correctional Institution, State Penitentiary, and the Women’s Center. Wyoming’s Department of Corrections also contracts three corrections centers: the Cheyenne, Casper, and Gillette. The DOC presides over the adult parolees and probationers, coordinating 25 field offices in all counties.
The state has a total incarcerated population of 3,942, including both the jail and prison numbers. Considering the prison population is 2.479, it is the 14th highest among all states. The jail incarceration rate is 320 for every 100,000, placing it at the 17th highest among all states. The probation population in the state is 5,569, while the parole numbers are 968. Unfortunately, there is an ethnic disparity when it comes to the number of individuals that have been incarcerated. Whites in the prison population are apparently underrepresented compared to other ethnicities, such as African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics.
Minority ethnicities are also more represented within the inmate population compared to the state level. That is considering the white imprisonment rate per 100,000 is 381 while that of African Americans is 1,337. That said, the white imprisonment rate is the 12th highest in the country. However, at 525 per 100,000, the incarceration rate of Hispanics is the fourth highest in every state. That means Hispanics are more likely to be imprisoned compared to other demographics and at a higher level than in other areas of the country.
The prison system in the state is also shifting the cost of imprisonment to the inmates, as is the case in other areas. The rate for calls from Wyoming jails is upwards of $3.15 for a 15-minute call. Prisons may charge 90 cents for the same duration, though. Prison facilities also charge a fee of 30% on transactions. Inmates in prison facilities have to pay for hygiene items unless there is no source of income or the individual does not have any funds in their account. The going rate for work in Wyoming prisons is 35 cents per hour which is the standard in most states. Fortunately, Wyoming is one state that does not charge copays, meaning the inmate is not forced to contribute to their medical care. It helps stop the spread of infectious diseases such as covid-19.
How to Perform Inmate Search in Wyoming
Inmate searches can be done at the state, federal or local level. Considering the Department of Corrections presides over all inmate records, it also maintains the offender locator tool. Individuals can search the web platform for access to inmate information, though they would have to use an inmate number or the first two letters of the person’s last name. Individuals can also use the tool to search what facility the person is in, whether they have been transferred to another institution, or what criminal charges a person has. If the person is in county jail, though, there is a chance that the information is not recorded within the database. That means the information will have to be retrieved from the county database that the sheriff’s office oversees. Fortunately, this information is widely available, considering inmate searches are widely considered public domain. That is unless there is information that would be deemed confidential.
How to Contact an Inmate in Wyoming
Inmates are allowed to contact friends, family, or wishers by email, mail, telephone, and visitation upon request. These privileges are not dependent on good behavior but have regulations and can be revoked upon failure to follow appropriate procedures. Inmates at Wyoming correctional facilities are allowed an approved call list of fifteen numbers during their intake process. That can be updated every three months or so. Calls are only allowed to go out from facilities rather than coming in. These calls are charged on a 15-minute basis, depending on where the calls are going. ICSolutions serve Wyoming inmates, so well-wishers are encouraged to set up an account if they regularly correspond with an inmate. Regarding regulations, three-way calling, call waiting, and call forwarding are prohibited. Using long periods of silence or hitting the telephone keypad may also cause the call to disconnect.
Inmates in these facilities are also allowed to send and receive unlimited letters or mail. That is as long as they can afford the posting. Typically, all mail is opened and inspected to make sure it does not contain any contraband. Letters are also inspected to make sure they do not contain any hate messages or if there are references to crimes committed. Mail is typically processed to the inmate also within 48 hours of the institution receiving it though it can go up to 72 hours. All mail sent to an inmate must have the sender’s name and their return address. It should be printed on the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. Inmates may receive magazines and photographs with their mail. However, there are regulations on the structuring. For one, these can be up to 8 inches by 10 inches. Instant or self-developing photographs, though, may not be sent. Enclosures and photographs that have been sent to inmate to inmates are not to exceed ten items. Envelopes cannot exceed 9 by 12. All enclosures and correspondence, though, are prohibited from having tape, glitter, perfume, or foreign items.
Photographs sent to inmates cannot have gang signs, nudity, or portrayal of illegal activity. Friends and family may also send regular publications to the inmate as long as they are from a verified vendor. However, hardcore publications are not allowed, so all books have to be paperback editions. None of these may include nudity or gang-related literature.
How to Visit an Inmate in Wyoming
Inmates at correctional facilities in Wyoming may receive visitors on Wednesday and Friday. They can also get visitors on weekends as well as holidays. That is provided the visitor is on the approved list of individuals the inmate submitted to the officers in charge. The list may be updated; however, there should be notice beforehand. Any visitors are allowed. However, they should not be part of the inmate’s previous criminal life or a victim of the offense unless there is approval.
The inmates housed in the intake unit will not get visits while in that department. The visits for inmates assigned to the chronic mental health level can also happen during any visiting session. During visiting sessions, the visitors can leave the center though the officer in charge has to be notified in advance. Visitors who leave will not have to return to the visiting center until the next session. There are regulations as well concerning the visitors and how they present at the facilities.
All visitors must dress appropriately, meaning they have to cover the neck to the knees. Their clothing should be formal or conservative so it does not illustrate any gang affiliation, nudity, or obscenity. Visitors are also prohibited from carrying any photographic or imaging equipment during visits. All visitors have to be adults, and any minors may be accompanied by approved adults or their legal guardians. Visitors are required to check into the administration area at least thirty minutes before the set visitation time for processing. Visitors cannot arrive more than 45 minutes before the scheduled visiting time. Maximum security visits are done on Fridays though this does not involve contact. The visits are during morning hours as well, from 8.30 am to 11.00 am. Visitors that are part of a religious denomination or legal representation of the inmate are allowed though to make visits that do not adhere to the set schedule.
How to Send Money to an Inmate in Wyoming
Offenders in the state are allowed to get deposits from friends, family, or well-wishers. These funds are used to purchase commissaries or meet day-to-day needs. The Wyoming Department of Corrections allows inmates to receive funds in various ways. These include CashPay Today, Ace Cash Express, and Access Corrections. Both Ace Cash and CashPay happen to be walk-in partners, so there are payment kiosks at the state prison. To make sending money to inmates convenient, the DOC has partnered with Access Corrections so it is possible to add funds to the inmates' accounts online. Access Corrections does the payment processing for the majority of county jails as well. These options allow well-wishers to send money via walk-in, internet, or phone. To send money, the individual has to know the inmate’s name, identification number, and current location.
For depositing by walking in, the fee is flat at $5.95 for each transaction. When depositing online, an individual can use a debit or credit card to fund the process. The prices range from $2.95 to $9.95, but that depends on the amount being deposited. If it is over the phone, though, the interested party can do so by calling Access Corrections. The transaction will be funded by debit or credit card and attract charges of $3.95 to $10.95.