Wyoming Inmate Records

Wyoming's incarceration rate of 369 per 100,000 residents is higher than the national average of 355 per 100,000 United States population. The state's inmate population includes approximately 2,154 incarcerated in state-run correctional facilities, about 291 in private prisons, and an estimated 1,407 in local jails. Each of these correctional facilities is run by different state agencies or entities, which, in addition to managing those correctional facilities, are also responsible for keeping the records of offenders under their jurisdiction.

Wyoming does not have any federal prisons. Instead, individuals who violate federal laws within the state and are convicted of their offenses are generally sentenced to serve their prison terms in federal correctional facilities outside the state. Like other agencies, the federal agency in charge of federal prisons is responsible for keeping records of inmates incarcerated in such facilities.

While the information contained in inmate records may vary depending on the agency maintaining them, a typical Wyoming inmate record will include the following:

• Personal Information - An inmate's personal information includes their name, age, inmate number, gender, date of birth, race, hair color, height, and eye color.
• Arrest Details - These include the arrest warrant, the place of the arrest, the time and date of the arrest, charges, booking details, and information regarding the arresting agency.
• Parole and Release Details - These include the projected release/discharge date and parole eligibility date.
• Sentencing Details - These include the current offense, incarceration status, facility of incarceration, offense count, length of sentence, sentence date, and sentencing county.
• Court Details - These include trial details, case numbers, judgment, fines, and court orders.

Are Inmate Records Public in Wyoming?

Wyoming inmate records are public information per the state's Public Records Act. According to this Act, all public documents and information received and maintained by a government entity, including inmate records, are open for inspection by any individual at any reasonable time.

Additionally, per Section 7-19-106(m) of the Wyoming Statutes, prison and jail authorities in the state may release information regarding individuals in their custody unless the release of such information may compromise their safety. However, juvenile inmate records, as well as medical records and mental health records in any inmate record, are prohibited from public disclosure. Also, all sealed or expunged inmate records in Wyoming are exempt from public disclosure.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Wyoming?

Records of inmates are kept by several agencies in Wyoming. While some of these agencies keep custody of inmates and maintain their records, others have custody of certain information that forms a part of inmate records. They generally include the following:

• The Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) - The Wyoming Department of Corrections is responsible for the statewide supervision of incarcerated offenders in state-operated correctional facilities, and it was established to ensure public safety. It provides incarcerated persons the opportunity to become law-abiding citizens through various rehabilitation programs. The WDOC strives to keep up-to-date records of each inmate confined in Wyoming's correctional facilities, which include 5 state-owned facilities and 3 contracted adult community correction centers. These facilities hold offenders with varying needs, ranging from inmates with minimum custody needs to those in high-security facilities.
• County Sheriff's Offices - The 23 local jails across Wyoming are overseen by county sheriff's offices. Each local jail is managed by a county sheriff's office, which is also responsible for maintaining the records of all inmates in its custody. Generally, local jails in the state hold individuals convicted and sentenced to incarceration not exceeding one year and individuals who are awaiting trial.
• Police Departments - Typically, records of arrests leading to offenders' convictions and consequent incarceration in jails or prisons are generated and maintained by the local police departments in Wyoming. While the police departments do not maintain custody of convicted offenders, they serve as a repository of all arrest information in inmate records.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - Offenders convicted of federal crimes in the United States, including those in Wyoming, are generally sentenced to federal prisons. Each federal prison is overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). While none of these facilities operate in the state, individuals convicted of violating federal laws in Wyoming are typically sentenced to serve their prison terms in federal facilities located in other states. Records of such offenders are maintained by the BOP.

How To Search an Inmate's Information in Wyoming

The first step anyone who intends to search for an inmate's information in Wyoming should take is to determine the correctional facility where the inmate is held

Find an inmate in the Wyoming State Prisons

The Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) has an Offender Locator that allows people to access information about individuals housed in state correctional facilities. The minimum search parameter is either the first two letters of an inmate's name or the WDOC inmate number. Individuals may, however, use additional search options (age and/or gender) to narrow search results. Inmate information revealed from this search generally includes personal information and sentence details.

Although the WDOC Offender Locator provides ample information regarding inmates in state-run prisons, individuals may obtain more detailed records by visiting the correctional facility where an inmate is held. In most cases, record custodians will ask requesters to provide information such as the name, ID number, gender, age, and any other details of the inmates whose records are sought to enable them to quickly locate the records.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

The county sheriff's offices in Wyoming are largely responsible for inmates held in local jails. They maintain the records of such inmates and make them available to the public through online inmate search tools. Depending on the location, the inmate search tool may be named inmate locator, inmate listing, or inmate roster, and it is typically featured on the website of the sheriff's office. Individuals will largely be allowed to search for inmate information through these tools using information such as the name, admission date, gender, and date of birth of the inmates whose records they seek.

Alternatively, anyone requiring inmate records with more detailed information may consider visiting the local jail where the inmate is physically held. However, they must be able to provide the custodian with basic details to help facilitate the search. Such information may include the inmate's name, unique ID number, gender, and booking date.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

The BOP Inmate Locator, managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), is designed to provide information regarding inmates incarcerated in federal prisons from 1982 to the present. While Wyoming has no federal prison within its borders, every offender convicted of a federal offense in the state is typically sentenced to out-of-state federal prisons. Individuals may search the records of such inmates using their names or BOP register numbers as the search criterion, and the search results typically include the personal information and release details of the inmates whose records are sought.

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

Records of former inmates who served their prison sentences in Wyoming may be accessed through the State Archives. The Archives, which is usually the first place anyone looking to access such records should check, has some collections that include an index and links to old Wyoming inmate files between 1892 and about 1903. Also, some records of old inmates who were incarcerated for federal crimes may be accessed through the National Archives.

Generally, most inmate search resources provided by prison/jail authorities only have records of inmates currently incarcerated in correctional facilities in the state. However, with third-party sites like Wyomingpublicrecords.us, individuals may be able to find information regarding inmates who have already been discharged from the state prison system at a small fee. Typically, records collated and kept in the databases of these independent websites are always accessible.

Another way to access old inmate records in Wyoming is by visiting the correctional facility (jail or prison) where the inmate in question served their prison or jail term. Inmate records are always kept in the file of the facilities holding offenders and may be accessed by providing the custodian of such records with information that can help facilitate the search when visiting the facilities. Generally, with information such as an inmate's name, ID number, gender, and release or discharge date, a facility record custodian should be able to locate the inmate's file and furnish the requester with their records of interest.

Furthermore, anyone looking to find records of an individual who was formerly incarcerated within the Wyoming prison system under the state's Department of Corrections (WDOC) may submit an open public records request to the WDOC. For a former inmate who was discharged from a federal prison, submitting a FOIA request to the BOP may help an interested person obtain their records of interest.

Can I Find a Wyoming Inmate Record for Free?

Yes. Typically, online inmate search tools offered by the various prison and jail authorities in Wyoming provide free access to inmate information. There is, however, a kind of limitation. Each inmate search tool is linked to a database containing information regarding all the inmates overseen by a correctional authority. For instance, the WDOC Offender Locator may only provide the public with records of inmates held in state-operated correctional facilities, not those incarcerated in local jails.

While access may not be free, third-party sites like Wyomingpublicrecords.us are like one-stop databases of public records, including inmate records. They typically have information regarding all the inmates in the state, regardless of where such inmates are serving their prison sentences. In other words, through the services offered by these sites, individuals may have centralized access to the records of all inmates incarcerated in local jails and state-operated prisons in Wyoming, as well as those committed to out-of-state federal prisons.

Jails and Prisons in Wyoming

Wyoming correctional facilities are broadly categorized into the following, based on the type of government agency overseeing inmates in the state:

• State Prisons - Wyoming has 5 correctional facilities and 3 adult community corrections centers (ACC), which are managed by the state's Department of Corrections (DOC). The 5 correctional facilities are made up of one female facility and four male facilities.
• Local Jails- The 23 local jails in Wyoming are managed by the county sheriff's offices across the state.
• Private Prisons - The few private prisons in the state are managed by varying private entities.

Although no federal correctional facility operates in Wyoming, individuals convicted of federal crimes in the state are often committed to federal prisons in other states to serve their prison sentences. These prisons are under the purview of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

State Prisons in Wyoming

The table below contains a list of correctional facilities managed by the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) at the state level:

Private Prisons in Wyoming

CoreCivic runs one private prison, the Cheyenne Transitional Center, in Wyoming.

Wyoming Inmate Statistics

• Wyoming Incarceration Rate - 369 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 638 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 87 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 269 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 291
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 5:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 1.4:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision: 1,219 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 1,121 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 185 per 100,000 people
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 1.5%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics