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. ...

09 Mar

Posted at 11:35h in Improve Lives, Latest News, News Archives, Strategic Plan
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The 2023 Spring Quarterly Commissary Bags are now available from the Utah Department of Corrections’ commissary. You can find more details about the program here. Once on the site, enter the number of the incarcerated individual or use the search function to find the person by name. From there, you can compile a commissary bag. Please complete your order before March 19, 2023. For questions regarding the process, please reach out to customer service at 469-936-0214.   Communications Office, March 9, 2023...

01 Mar

Posted at 14:03h in Implement Strategically, Improve Lives, Invest in Staff, Latest News, News Archives, Strategic Plan
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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWuT7dvIz-U[/embedyt] The Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) provided an update today regarding an in-depth, ongoing review of safety and security at the Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) in Salt Lake City. UDC noted several areas where improvements have already been made, and outlined short-term and long-term goals to ensure safety and security. “The safety of our staff and those we supervise is paramount,” said Brian Nielson, executive director with the Utah Department of Corrections. “We will continue to closely review our operations, ensure process improvements, and be diligent in our efforts to accomplish our Department’s mission. I cannot express in words how passionate, dedicated, and talented our team is in ensuring the safety of our operations and helping individuals find success.” The Department continues to review all areas of USCF. Short-term goals include improving facility infrastructure and security devices, increasing training, focusing on staff wellness, expanding programming, and focusing on gang interventions. Long-term goals include training and certifying staff in security audit practices. The Department will also work to identify clear incident reduction tracking mechanisms. And finally, we will continue to emphasize recruitment in order to eliminate mandatory overtime. Immediate areas of note include enhancements to the Antelope Facility, which is a restricted housing facility at USCF. Areas of improvement within this facility include addressing any blind spots, hiring additional control point operators, and identifying areas for improved communications....

22 Feb

Posted at 13:52h in Invest in Staff, Latest News, News Archives, Strategic Plan
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We're excited to announce the appointment of Irv Hale as the Deputy Director for Adult Probation and Parole. Irv most recently served as the Region Chief for AP&P in Region IV. He began his career with the Department in 1990 at the Draper prison as a Correctional Officer. He worked in several areas, particularly South Point, and was promoted to Sergeant, where he served in internal and external security for two years. In 1997, Irv accepted the position of Adult Probation and Parole Agent in the Provo office. He started in the intake unit for two years and then worked as an Agent supervising a caseload for the next three years. Irv was assigned as a Field Training Officer, and one year later he was promoted to supervisor. As a supervisor he supervised probation, parole, sex offender, and intake teams. During this time Irv took advantage of the Department’s educational reimbursement program and graduated from UVU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. In 2017, Irv was promoted to Assistant Regional Administrator in Region III and served as the Director of the Orange Street Community Correctional Center and later worked in the main Fremont office of Region III supervising the parole and support staff teams....

16 Feb

Posted at 10:20h in Latest News, News Archives, Uncategorized
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On March 1, 2023, the Utah State Correctional Facility will change the length of in-person visiting from one (1) hour to two (2) hours. Though there will be fewer visiting sessions, the additional visiting length will allow more visiting hours during the day. More visiting spots per session may be opened as needed due to demand. All offenders will still receive the same number of visits per their privilege level attached below: ANTELOPE LEVELS: a – 1 barrier visit every 60 days b – 1 barrier visit per month c – 2 barrier visits per month d – 2 barrier visits per month e – 3 barrier visits per month f – 3 barrier visits per month GENERAL POPULATION LEVELS: g – 2 visits per month (1 In person and 1 video visit) h – 3 visits per month (1 In person and 2 video visits) i – 4 visits per month (2 In person and 2 video visits) j – 5 visits per month (2 In person and 3 video visits) k – 8 visits per month (4 In person and 4 video visits) l – 12 visits per month (6 In person and 6 video visits) As we open new visiting opportunities, please remember the following rules: – All kisses and hugs must be brief. Any prolonged kisses, open mouth kisses and hugs will result in suspensions from visiting. – All visitors will be required to remove their shoes during the screening process. Visitors who refuse will be turned away....

13 Feb

Posted at 13:55h in Invest in Staff, Latest News, News Archives, Strategic Plan
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Please join us in welcoming Armanda Mercado as the new Deputy Director of Utah Correctional Industries (UCI). Mercado began her career with Corrections in 2009 as an intern with the Sex Offender and Kidnap Registry office, assisting with registrations and the public database. She transferred to UCI in 2014 as an internal auditor and later promoted to Operations Manager, Correctional Administrator II, and Audit Manager. She also served as UDC’s PPE Quartermaster during the COVID-19 outbreak. Mercado graduated from the University of Utah with Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Social Work. She later completed a Master’s Degree in Criminal Science and an emphasis in Corrections from Weber State University. She is a licensed interpreter and lead prison auditor for the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance. The deputy director position opened when Shane Welch was appointed UCI Director, after former director Maria Shirey became an Assistant Deputy Executive Director for UDC....

13 Feb

Posted at 11:11h in Latest News, News Archives
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The Utah Department of Corrections would like to thank Devery S. Anderson, author of the book "Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement," for speaking with incarcerated individuals at the Utah State Correctional Facility this week. The students are participating in high school education at USCF.  Anderson spoke on the history of the 1955 murder, the trial, and the 2004-2007 FBI investigation into the case. Anderson's lecture focused on the story of Till, but also touched upon the impact his story had on the civil rights movement in the United States. After the talk, students asked questions directly to Anderson – who provided insights based on his dozens of trips to Mississippi and Chicago and decades of research into Emmett's story and case....

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...

03 Feb

Posted at 12:47h in Featured, Impact Globally, Latest News, News Archives, Strategic Plan
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Agents from the Utah Department of Corrections’ Division of Adult Probation and Parole have located a missing juvenile girl from Arizona, arresting a Utah man in the process. On Jan. 31, AP&P agents received information from Arizona involving a missing girl and a possible connection to Jordan Sorenson, who was convicted in June 2020 of first-degree felony aggravated sexual extortion of an adult. He is on probation with AP&P and is listed on Utah’s sex offender registry. Agents began an investigation in coordination with the Utah Attorney General’s human trafficking unit. Sorenson was located at his work and transported to his residence in West Valley. Agents then searched the home, locating the missing juvenile in the basement. “Thanks to the quick actions of our agents and cooperation with the Attorney General's investigators and West Valley City Police Department, this young woman was found safe,” said Dan Blanchard, director of AP&P. “This is one of the many roles our agents take every day to help keep our communities safe. We are very grateful for the response and professionalism of these officers. Agents act on a number of tips every day, and in this situation they helped to locate this girl." Blanchard added that Arizona officials have been informed the juvenile was found safe and turned over to the care of a victim’s advocate from the Attorney General’s office. “We are grateful for the opportunity to assist AP&P and Arizona authorities in this case, and relieved the victim is now in a safe place," said Richard Piatt, communications director with the Utah Attorney General's office. "It is a priority for our office to utilize our Secure Strike Force to assist minors and to prosecute the growing number of human traffickers who are out there. These types of crimes are becoming more frequent, and we all need to continue to work together to combat these crimes.” In addition to probation violations for Sorenson, there is an ongoing investigation of new criminal charges with the AG's human trafficking unit....

23 Jan

Posted at 13:57h in Invest in Staff, Latest News, News Archives, Strategic Plan
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Randall Honey has been selected as the new Inmate Placement Program Director at the Utah Department of Corrections. Honey began his career in 2004, working in the Uinta facility at the now-closed Utah State Prison in Draper. He promoted to sergeant, moved to the Oquirrh facility, and later became the Security Threat Group Intelligence Coordinator for the Draper facility. In 2013, Honey was promoted to lieutenant and worked in Wasatch and Transportation. In 2016, he became a captain, where he spent six years working as Shift Commander, Captain of Uinta 3, and Captain of IPP. Honey became a Deputy Warden last year and has been serving in that capacity with IPP. The director position opened when Dan Chesnut was appointed Director of Prison Operations....

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