Developing Community Partnerships

The Utah Department of Corrections is looking for community organizations, businesses, religious groups, and others wiling to work with offenders after release from prison. The following information describes the efforts put into preparing offenders for release. It also discuses the high cost of returning people to prison, and suggests community partnerships are key to the successful transition of offenders to the community as law abiding citizens.

The Utah Department of Corrections Mission is to fulfill the orders of the Courts and the Board of Pardons, help keep our communities safe, and help offenders succeed in the community.

The Utah Department of Corrections Consists of Three Main Entities: the Division of Institutional Operations, Utah Correctional Industries, and Adult Probation and Parole.

Institutional Operations Includes the Draper Prison, Gunnison Prison, and County Jails where 20% of inmates are housed.

Utah Correctional Industries Consists of 25 business partnerships, apprenticeships and training programs that help inmates develop skills to earn a sustainable wage upon release.

Adult Probation and Parole Consists of highly trained agents who supervise and encourage offenders in the community.

The key factors in offender success are Education, Employment, and Community Support.

How We Prepare Offenders with Education:
The majority of offenders come to us with less than a high school education. We offer basic education through high school, GED, literacy, life skills and other programs that educate the offender. Salt Lake Community College and Snow College offer many vocational training programs at Draper and Gunnison prisons including Building Trades, Electronics, and Computer Science.

How We Prepare Offenders with Employment:
Utah Correctional Industries offers a wide variety of training experiences, including Computer Assisted Drafting, Printing, Woodworking, Technical/Vocational Apprenticeships, and Computers.

Even with this preparation, returns to prison remain high.
Over 60% of inmates released from Utah's prisons return and most return within the first year of parole.

The National Prison Growth Rate exceeds the Crime Rate.
Since 1970 "Get Tough on Crime" laws and longer prison sentences have dramatically increased prison populations from Less than 500,000 in 1970 to over 2,000,000 today (nationally). During the same period crime rates have dropped.

Utah's Number of Index Crimes

Utah Prison Population Growth

Prison costs are thru the roof!
It costs $24,000 per year to keep an inmate in prison. Recidivism averages 65% in Utah. 324 new beds needed each year. The average cost increase per year is $7,776,000.

Correctional Industries

Public Concern Must Shift.
Public concern has focused on the type and number of people being sent to prison. We must now focus on re-entry to the community.

Utah Re-entry Initiative - Offender Management Plan
Preparing offenders to return to the community means focusing on success, programming (Substance Abuse, etc), and a Positive Behavior Rewards System which mirrors community life and rewards good behavior. It also means that community supervision needs to be focused on success and involve community organizations.

Community Corrections vs. Community Policing
Over 95% of incarcerated offenders will be re-entering the community. Only $2,000 per year to supervise in the community.

We Need Your Help
Compared to those housed in our institutions, almost three times that number of offenders are being supervised in communities like yours (Over 13,800).

What Can You Do to Help With Offender Education?
Help is needed with offender education, tutoring, scholarships, assistance with obtaining education, life skills assistance, or anything to help the offenders reach a level of education that enables them to be stable and productive.

What Can You Do to Help With Offender Employment?
An offender that is gainfully employed has less incentive to commit crime. Help is needed with apprenticeships, training, and job skills development. A supervising agent will work closely with you to ensure your success as well as that of the offender.

What Can You Do to Help With Community Integration?
If the offender feels accepted and supported, the need to look to former habits and inappropriate friends decreases. You can help them to access services and to become contributing citizens. Faith-based support is also very helpful.

Our Commitment to You Includes the support and commitment of a highly trained agent who, with you, will help to create a plan that is successful. This includes access to the agent for questions and assistance, close monitoring of the offender's progress, and public information related to their offense no surprises.

If you are willing to help or simply want more information please contact:

Logan/Brigham Area (Region I): Larry Chatterton - 1-435-713-6241
Weber/Morgan Counties (Region II): Debi Ogden - 1-801-626-3705
Davis County (Region IID): Tammy Hart - 1-801-451-4720, Dean Godfrey - 1-801-451-4720
Salt Lake County (Region III): Gerry Schmidt - 1-801-239-2132
Wasath/Utah/Juab Counties (Region IV): Paul Collins - 1-801-374-7657
St. George Area (Region V): Reid Merrill - 1-435-673-6113 ext 126
Cedar City/Beaver Area (Region V): Ben Rowle - 1-435-867-7610