
Karen Tapahe
Public Information Officer
[email protected]
1.801.560.7608
Welcome to the Utah Department of Corrections press shop. Here you can stay up-to-date on press releases, blog posts and more communication coming directly from our office.

March 3, 2026
Staff, Incarcerated Workers Complete First Joint ServSafe Certification At USCF
The Utah State Correctional Facility recently expanded workforce training opportunities by hosting its first ServSafe Manager certification course that included both staff and incarcerated workers. Twenty-three students participated in the training, including eight USCF Culinary employees and fifteen incarcerated workers who voluntarily enrolled and paid the $170 course tuition themselves. The program marked the first time incarcerated individuals at USCF

February 9, 2026
Davis Technical College Holds Graduation At USCF
It was a packed house in the visiting room at the Utah State Correctional Facility as 55 students celebrated their graduation from Davis Technical College on Monday, February 9. While the number may seem high, DTC’s Dan Powers, who oversees the school at USCF, said the actual graduation class was 85 strong, with the remaining students having already left incarceration.

January 24, 2026
Tech, Teamwork, and K-9 Team Up to Stop Drug-Infused Paper From Entering State Prisons Via Mail
The Utah Department of Corrections’ (UDC) recent investment in technology, law enforcement professionals, and drug-sniffing K-9s have paid off with the arrest of a woman suspected of planning to mail hundreds of sheets of drug-infused paper to individuals housed at Utah’s correctional facilities, the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City, and the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison.

January 7, 2026
Update About Quarterly Packages For Incarcerated Individuals
We would like to provide an update regarding the delivery of 4th Quarter packages. While we understand many look forward to these arriving around the holidays, please keep in mind that the 4th Quarter cycle is a standard quarterly window and not a specific holiday service. The ordering window closed on December 4th, and the vendor shipments arrived at our

December 21, 2025
New Mailing System Coming January 5
To improve communication efficiency, safety, and reliability, the Utah Department of Corrections is moving to a new mail system for incarcerated individuals. Effective January 5, 2026, all personal (non-legal) mail will be processed and delivered directly by UDC mail processing centers, replacing the current third-party service. To ensure proper delivery, beginning January 5, 2026, all incoming mail must be sent to the
December 9, 2025
State Agencies Unveil First Parole Conditions Revision In Years
Collaborative Effort Between Utah Board of Pardons and Parole (BOPP) and Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) Focuses on Clarity, Consistency, and Public Safety Salt Lake City – Dec. 9, 2025 – The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole (BOPP) and the Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) have finalized a significant revision to the state’s parole conditions. This is the first time the conditions

November 26, 2025
Inmate Ralph L. Menzies Passes Away
The Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) is notifying the public that inmate Ralph L. Menzies passed away from presumed natural causes at a local hospital at 1:45 p.m. today, November 26, 2025. He was 67 years old at the time of his death. The Department issued this public notification after contacting Mr. Menzies’ next of kin, and the family of

May 23, 2025
UPDATED: Access Corrections Issues Resolved
UPDATE: As of May 26, 2025, Access Corrections is fully operational. Family members and loved ones can make deposits to inmate accounts at kiosks, phone and on the access corrections website. To ensure a smooth transition, people may still send money orders to: Inmate Accounting (address below). People may also drop off money orders to the UDC Administration building in

May 16, 2025
Full House Witnesses Davis Tech Graduation
In front of a packed house in mens’ visiting at the Utah State Correctional Facility, dozens of incarcerated individuals received their degrees during a graduation ceremony Monday, May 19, for Davis Technical College. This fiscal year, Davis Tech has 122 UDC graduates so far. By the end of the term, that will climb to about 135 graduates, according to Dan

May 12, 2025
SLCC Holds Graduation At USCF
On Monday, May 12, 28 men and women graduated from Salt Lake Community College’s prison education program during a ceremony at the Utah State Correctional Facility. Among these individuals, the degrees earned include Associate of Science Degrees in Anthropology, Business, Criminal Justice, General Studies, and Computer Science and Information Systems. During her address, student speaker Maureen Wall encouraged her fellow