Offenders under the authority of the Minnesota Department of Corrections sometimes want to write letters of apology to the victims of their crimes. In an apology letter, an offender may acknowledge fault, the injury and pain caused to the victim or others, and responsibility for the crime.  The letter will not offer excuses or request forgiveness or pardon.  

By policy, the Minnesota Department of Corrections does not allow an offender to send an apology letter to a victim, either directly or through a third party.   An apology letter from an offender is held by the Victim Assistance Program at the DOC and distributed only when and if the victim specifically decides to accept the correspondence.   
 
 The guidelines for apology letters include:

• Never sending the apology letter directly to victim, victim’s families or victim advocates;
• Allowing either the victim or offender to initiate the apology letter process;
• Victims shall determine if and when the apology letter will be accepted;
• Victims will determine whether the offender is informed that the victim requested, received and/or has read the apology letter;
• All apology letters will be reviewed by designated letter screeners at each facility, by the Restorative Justice Planner and by the Victim Services Coordinator;
• Victims may, at the time of engaging in the apology letter processes or at a subsequent time, request other restorative services provided by the DOC, such as victim offender dialogue, opportunities for victim involvement in offender programming or victim services referrals.
• Involvement in the apology letter process will not affect an offender’s release date or other conditions of incarceration.

Victims will be provided with the opportunity to complete an apology letter notification form upon request. This form instructs the DOC to notify the victim when an apology letter has been received in their name. Apology Letter

When a completed apology letter has been submitted to the apology letter bank, Victim Assistance Program staff will contact the victim to verify interest in receiving the letter.  If confirmed, the sealed apology letter will be mailed to the victim in an envelope with a cover letter identifying the content of the enclosed, sealed envelope.

Future contact between the victim and the offender should be made with the assistance of staff from the Victim Assistance Program or Restorative Justice Unit. Contact Lydia Newlin at 651.361.7249