09 Mar

Posted at 15:47h in Hot Topics, Invest in Staff, News Archives, Strategic Plan, Uncategorized
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The Utah Department of Corrections is turning a corner on recruitment and retention efforts with significantly more individuals coming into the agency than leaving.  “Everyone’s efforts to help both recruit and retain certified staff are paying off,” said Spencer Turley, assistant deputy executive director with the Utah Department of Corrections in a message to Department staff earlier this week. “Thank you to everyone for your diligent efforts, please continue doing all you can to improve our staff retention and help recruit new staff. As you have additional ideas, please share them.” The agency is now gaining officers at a rapid rate. To take a snapshot of the past 12 months, from February 2022 through July 2022, 87 correctional officers left the agency, and 28 correctional officers were hired into the agency. This was a net loss of 59 people. In August 2022, following the opening of USCF, and after correctional staff received a substantial pay increase, these numbers reversed themselves. From August 2022 through February 2023, 34 correctional officers left the agency, 105 correctional officers were hired into the agency. This is a net gain of 71 people.  After the August 2022 compensation increase, Governor Spencer Cox personally sent a letter to previous employees and asked them to return to work for Corrections. From August 2022 through February 2023, UDC has had 27 former staff members return to work as officers.  During the 2023 calendar year, there are 10 academies scheduled, with seven in Salt Lake and three in Gunnison. There is also potential to add more classes if needed.  Currently there are two academies underway in Salt Lake and one Gunnison with a second Gunnison class starting March 28. For the two Salt Lake classes, there are 38 officers that were hired for the Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) and 12 that were hired for Community Correctional Centers. The current Gunnison academy has 21 correctional officers for the Central Utah Correctional Facility.  Hiring for the March 28 academy, to be held in Gunnison, is still underway. At this point, it looks like CUCF will be really close to filling - or will actually be able to fill - every correctional officer position they have. And once the academy is complete, they will be fully staffed. This alone will help lessen the overtime load on all of our staff.  In January 2023, UDC’s staffing models indicated a need for an additional 135 officers at USCF to eliminate mandatory overtime. If retention rates stay like they are now, and if UDC can average a minimum of 20 officers in each of the seven academy classes this year, that will be enough to nearly eliminate all mandatory overtime at USCF. ...

07 Feb

Posted at 17:06h in Hot Topics, Latest News, News Archives
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Dan Chesnut, Prison Operations Director at the Utah Department of Corrections, provided an update today following three recent assaults against staff at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City. It was followed by a live Q&A via Zoom.  "Let me be clear: Staff assaults are not acceptable. Ever," said Chesnut on the live broadcast. "As we’ve reviewed these incidents, it's been apparent that these individuals were determined and sought opportunities to carry out these acts. The individuals involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." You can find the full press conference recording here: https://youtu.be/vLUvOjZ5pJM...

24 Oct

Posted at 16:09h in Hot Topics
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Laundry detergent has been removed from Commissary to help reinforce a rule that laundry cannot be washed at the housing unit. This rule is in place for several security reasons. Conflicts arise because a person or group takes possession of laundry buckets not allowing access to other offenders. Water temperatures are not hot enough to sanitize the laundry and 5-gallon buckets are often unsanitary. 5-gallon buckets intended for laundry are often used to produce homemade alcohol, hide contraband, and have at times been used to flood sections and block security devices.  Laundry is available to each incarcerated individual for clothing on a weekly basis with two bags provided, both labeled with the individual’s name and number. Laundry is picked up in the morning and delivered on the same day in the afternoon. Because of the increased capacity of the USCF laundry, we are increasing the frequency of sheets and blanket laundry from monthly to weekly. Sheets and blankets will also be picked up in the morning and returned in the afternoon.  Bags that have not been tied properly can come open spilling the laundry. This has been happening more frequently since moving to USCF because the washing machines spin faster. Open laundry bags are documented, inventoried, and returned with the rest of the laundry. Clothing that comes up missing is most likely being taken from these open bags on the housing units. Laundry workers are always searched before leaving the laundry area and are not allowed to wear personal clothing while at work. They do not have the opportunity to move clothing from the laundry facility to the housing unit.  Bags that are tied in an overhand knot on the bag (knot in the mesh bag), then secured with the string tied above the knot will not open up. This system of securing a pin bag has proven to work at Draper and at USCF. Our Operations Team is working to create a video and training sheet to distribute to housing unit leadership, so they can help offenders secure their laundry bags properly. Laundry will continue to document each item of loose clothing that was returned to the housing unit....

24 Oct

Posted at 16:06h in Hot Topics
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Mosquitoes are bad this year in Utah. That headline may not come as a surprise to those who have been outside this summer. According to a recent Fox 13 News story, the number of mosquitoes in Salt Lake County is close to twice the five-year average for the region. It certainly isn’t a shock to those at the new Utah State Correctional Facility that opened in July. The overall increase in the bugs came just as the Utah Department of Corrections moved more than 3,000 incarcerated offenders, plus hundreds of staff and volunteers, to the location. Apparently, the critters are attracted to carbon dioxide. Humans call it exhaling. Since move-in day, the insects have been a constant source of irritation. Yet the surge was unexpected at the new prison, since workers – topping more than 2,000 at some points – have been at the site for several years. During that time, there were no reports of mosquitoes being an issue. Regardless of the cause, the goal for UDC officials is to manage the mosquito population with the help of the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District. “We have been working with SLCMAD since August to provide abatement measures, including spraying and traps,” said Kaitlin Felsted, Director of Communications for the Utah Department of Corrections. She added that the district was providing abatement services to USCF during some of the construction phase. One big challenge has been the use of repellant. A number of such products are flammable, making them unsafe for a correctional facility. “Prior to approving a repellant, our team reviewed potential safety concerns,” noted Felsted, who said a suitable product was found. “Bug repellant will be offered to the incarcerated through commissary in the coming weeks.” She added that no staff or offenders at any state-operated correctional site have contracted a mosquito-borne illness. In the future, Felsted said the UDC plans to have staff certified to use larvicide in the storm drains or where stagnant water is found on USCF property. These treatments would start in spring 2023....