Advocates for Criminal Justice Reform in Utah
The Utah Prisoner Advocate Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and 100% volunteer grassroots community outreach organization that aims to simplify the incarceration process for the inmates’ supporters—while also advocating for better conditions inside Utah jails and prisons. We do this primarily by educating the public through monthly support meetings and newsletters, an open dialogue with the Utah Department of Corrections / county jail administrations, legislative advocacy, guest speakers, coalition forming, and a shared network of useful resources. Instead of membership, our network constituents are formed by volunteers, criminal justice advocates, industry professionals, expert advisors, coalition organizations, formerly incarcerated individuals, and over 1,000 Utah families of the incarcerated and growing.Our Mission Our Organizers Media Inquiries
Join the UPAN Family Support Group on Facebook
We’ve formed a private family support group as a safe place to ask questions, get advice and emotional support from people that know what you’re going through.
- Invaluable resource for those who are new to the criminal justice system in Utah
- Network with UPAN Directors, advocates, and other families of incarcerated loved ones
- Ask questions and get advice
- Moral support from others who’ve experienced the same type of issues and situations
- Formerly incarcerated individuals trying to get back on their feet and looking for resources
- Discussions on criminal justice reform issues
- News, updates, and much more
Join Our Support Group
Join Our UPAN Volunteers / Committees Working Group
Latest News




Photos from University of Utah Prison Education Project's post ... See MoreSee Less
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A Florida nonprofit has lodged a complaint with the UN over sex offender registry policies that have driven huge numbers of registrants into homelessness. The state has seen a 312% rise in homeless registrants since 2011, Steven Yoder reports for The Appeal.
An ordinance in Florida's Broward County forbids most people on the sexual offense registry from living within 1,400 feet of schools, daycares, parks, or playgrounds. The rules put 99% of residences off-limits to registrants and force hundreds to live on the streets. Today, a sample of the city’s unhoused people on the state registry shows that a majority camp on a commercial strip on a major highway in north Fort Lauderdale.
Advocates argue that such residency restrictions do not prevent recidivism or reduce sexual offending. Even the DOJ has concluded that there’s “no empirical support" for their effectiveness, and that they may “aggravate, rather than mitigate, offender risk.”
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As Florida’s Unhoused Sex Offense Registrant Population Booms, Group Asks UN for Help
theappeal.org
South Florida leaders celebrated their commitment to the homeless—but won't admit that the sex offense population is becoming unhoused.
The Utah Department of Corrections, in coordination with Davis County Sheriff’s Office, announced the expansion of opportunities for programming and reentry services to address individuals’ risk factors when they return to prison for parole violations.
corrections.utah.gov/2023/03/22/udc-and-davis-county-expand-programming-and-reentry-services-for-...
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corrections.utah.gov
The Utah Department of Corrections, in coordination with Davis County Sheriff’s Office, announced the expansion of opportunities for programming and reentry services to address individuals’ risk factors when they return to prison for parole violations. The goal is to reduce core criminogenic ris...Davis County launches program aimed at keeping parolees from returning to prison ... See MoreSee Less

Davis County launches program aimed at keeping parolees from returning to prison
www.ksl.com
The Utah Department of Corrections, in coordination with the Davis County Sheriff's Office, has launched new programming to help prevent parolees from returning behind bars.Diesel Brothers Make a Big Landing at Central Utah Correctional Facility - Utah Department of Corrections ... See MoreSee Less

corrections.utah.gov
It’s not every day that a reality television star lands a helicopter on prison property, so they can share a message of hope with incarcerated individuals. Actually, it’s never been done in the history of Utah Corrections … as far as we can tell. Incarcerated individuals at the Central Utah Co...The Utah Supreme Court has announced an innovative project that aims to provide free legal advice to people facing housing issues in the state. ... See MoreSee Less

Utah Supreme Court announces new project to provide free legal aid to people with housing issues
trib.al
The Utah Supreme Court has announced an innovative project that aims to provide free legal advice to people facing housing issues in the state.
Timeline photosThe Utah Department of Corrections is beyond grateful to Keaton Hoskins of the @diesel.brothers and the Limitless Society for speaking to incarcerated individuals today at the Central Utah Correctional Facility about the power we all have to change the trajectory of our lives. ... See MoreSee Less

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: www.utinmatepackage.com
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.
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On July 1, 2020, the Utah Correctional Standards were implemented to ensure all correctional facilities housing state inmates were operating in a safe, secure, and humane manner. The FY-2023 Correctional Standards contain a set of “Core” standards, along with several additional volumes which addressed Community Correctional Centers (CCC), Contact County Jails, as well as the various divisions operating within the Utah State Prison sites. Find out more on our website, here: corrections.utah.gov/correctional-facilities-standards/ ... See MoreSee Less
The Brennan Center is calling on Congress to pass a new $1 billion federal funding program that would incentivize states to reduce unnecessary incarceration while promoting humane criminal justice policies that preserve public safety. ... See MoreSee Less

The Federal Government Must Incentivize States to Incarcerate Fewer People
bit.ly
A proposed bill would fund ways to improve people’s lives rather than destroy them.Man serving 400-year prison sentence exonerated after new probe finds wrongful conviction. Sidney Holmes was wrongfully convicted of an armed robbery. ... See MoreSee Less

‘I can’t have hate’: Man serving 400-year prison sentence is freed
abcnews.go.com
Sidney Holmes, who was wrongfully convicted of an armed robbery, has been exonerated of his conviction and 400-year prison sentence.Please join us for tonight‘s monthly UPAN meeting. We’ll be discussing bills that passed in the 2023 Utah State Legislative Session that may impact the incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and their families. UPAN Directors will also be available to answer your questions and concerns. Please join us from 6:30 to 8:30 PM Mountain Time via Zoom: bit.ly/3vqQjiA ... See MoreSee Less
Family hotline phone
Can you put that information back on the screen. Thank You
Also go with out HBP meds

Happy Spring UPAN Supporters! Please join us TONIGHT March 13th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm MDT for our next UPAN Monthly Meeting! We'll be discussing bills that passed in the 2023 Utah State Legislature's General Session that may impact the incarcerated, formerly-incarcerated, and their families. Family Meeting: UPAN Directors will be available to answer your questions on a variety of topics. Free and open to the public. We’ll be live streaming via: Facebook Live - mailchi.mp/utahprisoneradvocate/march-2023 ... See MoreSee Less
Please join us for tonight‘s monthly UPAN meeting. We’ll be discussing bills that passed in the 2023 Utah State Legislative Session that may impact the incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and their families. UPAN Directors will also be available to answer your questions and concerns. Please join us from 6:30 to 8:30 PM Mountain Time via Zoom: bit.ly/3vqQjiA ... See MoreSee Less
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.An incarcerated person was found dead in Washington County jail Purgatory Correctional Facility on Friday. UPAN shares our heartfelt condolences to his family. ... See MoreSee Less

Inmate found dead in Washington County jail
www.ksl.com
An inmate was found dead at the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility, and authorities have preliminarily ruled the man's death a suicide.
For International Womens Day:
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” ~ Malala Yousafzai
"Don't be discouraged by your incapacity to dispel darkness from the world. Light your candle and step forward." ~ Amma
"May you become the embodiment of peace"~ Amma
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Timeline photosIt warms our heart to see meaningful improvements to the criminal justice system embraced across party lines.
Thank you former Senator Jim Merritt for endorsing Indiana’s #HB1648, which passed the House 89-1 ! Now onto the Senate!
Read more here: bit.ly/3ZBLHUm
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Most Americans Say Crime is Up. What Does the Data Say? ... See MoreSee Less

Most Americans Say Crime is Up. What Does the Data Say?
trib.al
More people than ever believe crime is up in their area, polls show. But public perception doesn’t always match reality.Soap or a phone call? Colorado lawmakers want to make prison phone calls free so families don’t have to choose. ... See MoreSee Less

www.denverpost.com
Last year, people in the Department of Corrections and their families paid $7.7 million to talk on the phone. A bill under consideration in the state legislature would make calls from prison free.