UDC News

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.

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

Nearly one-third of incarcerated individuals in Utah’s prison system are serving time for a sexual offense. The Department strives to treat persons who sexually offend (PSOs) through effective treatment interventions based on their individual risk factors that brought them to the attention of the Courts and the Department of Corrections. The Department’s Sex Offense Treatment Program (SOTP) is primarily housed

HOPE is housed in the Fir unit at the Central Utah Correctional Facility. The dormitory-style unit is capable of housing up to 288 inmates, with 48 inmates in each of the six sections. HOPE is organized as a therapeutic community aimed at helping inmates live clean, sober, positive and productive lives and typically takes 12 months to 13 months to

Excell is based on a residential, therapeutic community model and is designed to help women overcome substance abuse issues and resolve trauma (physical and emotional abuse) that often underlie criminal behaviors. An analysis of the 11-month program found that women who complete the Excell program are nearly 30 percent less likely to return to prison than inmates who do not.

The Con-Quest program is housed in the Promontory Facility at the Utah State Prison and can accommodate 400 inmates. Inmates with substance dependence or abuse issues who have treatment listed among their top priorities in a Case Action Plan are eligible to participate in the program. Con-Quest is based on a therapeutic community model and is focused on teaching responsible living

The Department works with several applied technology colleges to certify inmates in vocational trades. Those colleges are: Davis Technical College, Uintah Basin Technical College, and Snow College. At the Utah State Prison, male inmates may earn certificates in seven areas: Automotive Technology; Machinist Technician; Maintenance Technician; Welding Technology; Business Technology; and Culinary Arts. Female inmates may earn certificates in two programs (Culinary

There are more than two dozen religious practices represented among Utah’s prison population. To meet the spiritual needs of inmates, Corrections works with volunteers who oversee activities, programs and religious services. The Department employs part-time chaplains to provide ecclesiastical counseling and non-denominational services. Arrange a marriage ceremony Marriages are run through our Religious/Volunteer Services Office. Offenders are required to send a

This program, launched in 1988, employs offenders at a modest wage to make audio recordings of books for the visually impaired. Reading for the Blind is part of a broader organization — the Program for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Utah State Library Division, which serves patrons both locally and nationally. The program is housed in a donated facility

In addition to formal education, there are other tools offenders often need in order to change their lifestyles and adopt an outlook more conducive to long-term success. Life skills courses include Thinking for a Change, Communication, Computer Literacy, Relationships, Relapse Prevention, Career Power, Financial Literacy, Anger Management, Parenting, Impact of Crime on Victims, Domestic Violence, Victim Empathy, and Thinking Errors.