The Utah Department of Corrections is continuing to seek comments from constituents concerning Pigeonly, the UDC’s new mail system.
To curb the introduction of mail contraband, the Utah Department of Corrections implemented a new incarcerated person(s) mail delivery process on January 6, 2025. Incoming mail from friends and family is now sent to Pigeonly Corrections’ mail processing center where it is opened, copied and sent to UDC facilities. More on the process can be found here.
As of Feb. 14, 2025, the Department is still working actively with Pigeonly to address ongoing issues with mail delivery to incarcerated individuals.
We have been made aware of issues with delayed delivery, quality, and concerns about the vendor’s business practices. We understand the impact that a disruption of mail can have on the incarcerated population, and the frustration felt by loved ones and others. As with any large-scale operational change, it takes time to adapt to new processes. We appreciate the input we’ve received from the public to help us understand and address the issues as quickly as possible.
We held a virtual family listening session this week to get additional information about the concerns related to the Pigeonly service. We were able to share results of the ongoing survey, themes of the feedback, current status of the project and next steps.
Update:
- UDC contracts office and our finance team are reviewing contract provisions to ensure alignment, fair pricing and service quality.
- Leadership will be scheduling a meeting with Pigeonly leadership to review specific concerns and set standards for UDC alignment.
- Improving transparency by sharing clear policies with families.
- We will continue to provide the survey on the public website to monitor progress. Please use that link as needed to report issues.
- Provide weekly updates on progress.
- Exploring options for maintaining some physical mail privileges (e.g., approved postcards).
- Gathering ongoing feedback to adjust mail policies as needed.
- Ensuring mail policies align with best practices for maintaining family bonds and reducing recidivism
- Lieutenants are researching individual cases and issues, including following up on tracking numbers, and addressing legal mail concerns.
For those that have used the Pigeonly service so far, please take this survey.