Speaking as One Voice for Victims of Crime
The mission of the Wyoming Division of Victim Services (DVS) is to cultivate social change and access to victim services through the provision of resources, education, and program support and development. DVS provides awareness, education, and technical support to programs serving victims of crime and to the general public. DVS supports legislative, judicial, and social reforms beneficial to crime victims.
Wyoming Crime Victim Bill of Rights
Since the passage of Wyoming's Victims Bill of Rights in 1991, victim service providers and criminal justice agencies have worked to enforce and ensure these rights.
- The right to be treated with compassion, respect, and sensitivity within the criminal justice system;
- The right to know the whereabouts of the offender 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 victims 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 int he criminal justice process;
- The right to be informed about the opportunity to make a victim impact statement at sentencing and parole hearing; and
- The right to be present at trial.
Compensation Program
Victims and their families must deal with the emotional, physical, and financial aftermath of crime. The compensation program helps innocent victims and their families when they have no other means of paying for the financial cost of crime. The compensation program is funded by the Division of Victim Services. The money in the fun Crime Victims Compensation Fund comes from people who break the law.
Restitution Program
National research studies indicate that restitution is one of the most significant factors affecting the satisfaction of victims with the criminal justice process. Restitution is a concept of personal accountability for the consequences of one's conduct, and the allied notion that the person who causes the damage should bear the cost.
DVS coordinates financial recovery through restitution to assure the maximum amount of monies are collected or recovered on behalf of eligible victims for the Crime Victims Compensation Program.
The DVS Program Management Team (PMT) is an essential part of achieving the mission of the Division of Victim Services. The PMT administers federal and state funds and provides technical assistance to support service delivery for victim service providers as well as administering special programs that enhance victim services providers throughout the state according to federal and state statutes. The PMT commitment and strength lies in the success of victim service providers and are dedicated to providing the tools and resources to maximize their accomplishments.
DVS administers the Wyoming Crime Victim Compensation Program (WCVCP) that provides financial assistance to hundreds of victims each year. Benefits are awarded for out-of-pocket expenses, medical expenses, lost wages, and counseling costs related to emotional and physical injury suffered by the victim and the victims family as a direct result of a crime. The program does not compensate victims for damaged or stolen property. The WCVCP is funded solely through fines and fees paid by criminal offenders in district, circuit, and some municipal courts throughout Wyoming, and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds, a federal grand that is funded by fines and fees paid by offenders in federal court.
APPLICATIONS for the Wyoming Crime Victim Compensation Program
are available through our office here at Project SAFE, Inc.