Home | Utah Prisoner Advocate Network

Who We Are / What We Do

The Utah Prisoner Advocate Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all-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 through monthly support meetings, an open dialogue with the Utah Department of Corrections, legislative advocacy, guest speakers, coalition forming, and a shared network of useful resources.

UPAN is also a proud coalition member of People Not Prisons, a group of advocacy organizations working on behalf of people with mental health conditions, people recovering from substance use disorders, and men and women caught up in Utah’s criminal justice system. UPAN is the 2014 Recipient of the ACLU of Utah Torch of Freedom Award for raising awareness about criminal justice reform.

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2018 Holiday Card Contest Winners

October 8, 2018 By Molly Prince

Congratulations to our 2018 Holiday Card Contest winners! Please consider downloading the PDF (by clicking on the image) to print out and send to your friends, loved ones, and those who are spending … Continue Reading

A new Clinical Power of Attorney form promises to give inmates more control over when and how medical information can be shared with their families

September 15, 2017 By Mike McAinsh

For years, families have looked on from afar in frustration as their incarcerated loved one suffered due to poor clinical practices. If they called the prison to find answers, they were met with an … Continue Reading

Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General Completes the Audit of the Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP)

April 3, 2017 By Molly Prince

by Mike McAinsh and Molly Prince SOTP Audit Finds Utah Department of Correction's Program Was Poorly Managed With Weak Oversight The Legislative Audit of Utah State Prison’s Sex Offender … Continue Reading

Meet Maria Peterson: UDC’s New Public Information Officer

November 20, 2016 By Molly Prince

UDC Gets a New Public Information Officer Maria Peterson became the new Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Utah Department of Corrections in October. I had the privilege of meeting her during … Continue Reading

Authorization to Verbally Discuss Health Information

October 17, 2016 By Molly Prince

UPAN is please to announce that the Utah Department of Corrections has finished their process of developing the new "Authorization To Verbally Discuss Health Information" for inmates to use when they … Continue Reading

A Message from UPAN President Molly Prince – February 2016

February 2, 2016 By Molly Prince

Things Are a Bit Busy in the Area of Criminal Justice in Utah this Legislative Session There are several bills that relate to several areas of criminal justice in Utah. While most of these are … Continue Reading

Priorities for Utah’s New Correctional Facility

November 16, 2015 By Anna Brower

People Not Prisons: Physical & Programmatic Priorities for Utah’s New Correctional Facility The People Not Prisons Coalition is a loose coalition of advocacy groups working on behalf of people … Continue Reading

Guidelines for Mailing Holiday Cards and Letters

November 16, 2015 By Molly Prince

In preparation for the upcoming holiday season and the UPAN Holiday Card Program, I called the Mail Room in Draper to learn about any new mailing rules or recommendations the prison has to expedite … Continue Reading

Scam Alert – Possible Mail Fraud

October 26, 2015 By UPAN

Possible Scam Alert It has come to our attention that an individual(s) has sent a letter to at least one inmate and possibly others on UPAN letterhead soliciting for donations. We’re investigating … Continue Reading

More Than 100 Police Chiefs And Prosecutors (LELRCI) Unite To Cut Prison Population

October 21, 2015 By UPAN

Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration (LELRCI) A new coalition of the nation's top prosecutors and police chiefs are joining the effort to reform mass incarceration practices. The … Continue Reading

Peace Officer – Documentary on Police Militarization in Utah

September 24, 2015 By UPAN

"Peace Officer" is a new documentary film about the militarization of police in Utah that will make it's debut at the Tower Theater on Friday, September 25th. Representatives from the ACLU of Utah … Continue Reading

Legislative Audit of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole is Underway

September 14, 2015 By Molly Prince

UPAN Families Can Help Gather Information The Legislative Audit Subcommittee has been assigned the task of performing an audit of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. We have no idea when the Board … Continue Reading

Lawmakers Vote to Relocate Utah State Prison to Salt Lake City

August 20, 2015 By UPAN

In a Special Session on Wednesday, August 19th the both houses of the Utah State Legislature voted to approve HCR101 Concurrent Resolution Approving Site for New State Correctional Facilities to move … Continue Reading

Hunger Strike at Utah State Prison

August 4, 2015 By UPAN

There's been a media frenzy over the past few days about a current hunger strike happening at the Utah State Prison. UPAN organizers have been hard at work fielding questions and interviews with … Continue Reading

HB 348 Clarification and Time Cut Correction

July 29, 2015 By Molly Prince

HB348 Clarification and Correction of Information in July Newsletter Regarding When the Time Cuts Go into Effect and Who is Eligible Greg Johnson, administrator with the Board of Pardons and Parole … Continue Reading

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Utah Prisoner Advocate Network shared NowThis's post.

Posted 15 hours ago

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'When I came I was a boy, now I'm a man' — This diving program is helping inmates learn teamwork and gain skills to help them get jobs after prison

NowThis
'When I came I was a boy, now I'm a man' — This diving program is helping inmates learn teamwork and gain skills to help them get jobs after prison ... See MoreSee Less

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Utah Prisoner Advocate Network

Posted 16 hours ago

How JAY-Z and Meek Mill’s REFORM Alliance Plans to Improve the Criminal Justice System ... See MoreSee Less

How JAY-Z and Meek Mill’s REFORM Alliance Plans to Improve the Criminal Justice System

complex.com

Longtime activist Van Jones has a new role: bringing rappers and business tycoons together to fix the parole and probation systems.

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Utah Prisoner Advocate Network shared cut50's post.

On Tuesday March 5th, the criminal justice reform community across the U.S. will rise up once again for our 3rd annual #DayOfEmpathy. Thousands of activists across all 50 states will stand up together in the face of a dehumanizing system, for the hundreds of millions of Americans impacted by mass incarceration, to put faces to the words. #CJreform is about the PEOPLE who it would benefit. Restorative justice is about healing the PEOPLE on both sides of a crime.

Join us on March 5th – sign up and find an event near you: DayofEmpathy.org

cut50
On Tuesday March 5th, the criminal justice reform community across the U.S. will rise up once again for our 3rd annual #DayOfEmpathy. Thousands of activists across all 50 states will stand up together in the face of a dehumanizing system, for the hundreds of millions of Americans impacted by mass incarceration, to put faces to the words. #CJreform is about the PEOPLE who it would benefit. Restorative justice is about healing the PEOPLE on both sides of a crime. Join us on March 5th – sign up and find an event near you: DayofEmpathy.org ... See MoreSee Less

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UPAN is hosting Day of Empathy at 630 p.m. at Utah State Capitol Copper Room in the East Building. Lots of speakers lined up!

Posted 2 days ago

Voters Can’t Elect the Right Prosecutors if These Elected Officials’ Records Aren’t Made Public ... See MoreSee Less

Voters Can’t Elect the Right Prosecutors if These Elected Officials’ Records Aren’t Made Public

aclu.org

America’s locally elected prosecutors wield enormous and, all too often, unaccountable power. They have the authority to reinforce mass incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal legal system or combat these injustices. Across the country, voters are beginning to recognize the extent of ...

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HB192 would give sexual abuse victims with DNA evidence more time to file charges ... See MoreSee Less

HB192 would give sexual abuse victims with DNA evidence more time to file charges - The Daily Universe

universe.byu.edu

A bill in the Utah Legislature would extend the statute of limitations from one year to four years for sexual assault cases in which DNA evidence identifies the defendant.

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Who We Are / What We Do

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2018 Holiday Card Contest Winners

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2018 Holiday Card Contest Winners

A new Clinical Power of Attorney form promises to give inmates more control over when and how medical information can be shared with their families

Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General Completes the Audit of the Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP)

Meet Maria Peterson: UDC’s New Public Information Officer

Authorization to Verbally Discuss Health Information

A Message from UPAN President Molly Prince – February 2016

Priorities for Utah’s New Correctional Facility

Guidelines for Mailing Holiday Cards and Letters

Scam Alert – Possible Mail Fraud

More Than 100 Police Chiefs And Prosecutors (LELRCI) Unite To Cut Prison Population

Peace Officer – Documentary on Police Militarization in Utah

Legislative Audit of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole is Underway

Lawmakers Vote to Relocate Utah State Prison to Salt Lake City

Hunger Strike at Utah State Prison

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