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 excuse such as, “Due to your son’s right to privacy, we cannot discuss his medical condition with you.” Because of the clamor of inmates and their families for a way that medical … [Read more...]
Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General Completes the Audit of the Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP)
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 Treatment Program (SOTP Audit) was released to the public on April 3, 2017. The audit report was presented to the Legislative Audit Subcommittee by Lead Auditor August Lehman, CFE. Also … [Read more...]
A Message from UPAN President Molly Prince – February 2016
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 narrowly defined, they are still important for those of us who have people we love involved in any facet of Utah’s system. These include (but are not limited to): HB 16 sponsored … [Read more...]
Priorities for Utah’s New Correctional Facility
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 with mental health conditions, people recovering from substance use disorders, and men and women caught up in Utah’s criminal justice system. Our Coalition includes but is not … [Read more...]
Guidelines for Mailing Holiday Cards and Letters
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 our incarcerated loved ones receiving their holiday mail. I spoke with Lynette, who was very helpful and informative. This information will apply to both Draper and Gunnison prisons. … [Read more...]
Scam Alert – Possible Mail Fraud
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 this. If you have received a communication such as this or suspect something suspicious, do not reply or send money to the sender. Please send us a copy of the letter and record … [Read more...]
Lawmakers Vote to Relocate Utah State Prison to Salt Lake City
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 the Utah State Prison in Draper to a new site West of the Salt Lake International Airport (located approximately at 7200 West and I-80). The Prison Relocation Committee voted … [Read more...]
Pepper Spray, Beating Led to Prisoner’s Death – KUTV 2 News
Interview with UPAN's Molly Prince about a terrible inmate death at Utah State Prison. According to the medical examiner, a large amount of pepper spray used on two fighting inmates at the Utah State Prison contributed to the death of one of them. Advocates for prison safety say policies need to be changed. Source: Pepper spray, beating led to prisoner's death - KUTV … [Read more...]
Op-ed: Don’t Let Unfounded Neighborhood Fears Derail Justice Reform | The Salt Lake Tribune
Source: Op-ed: Don't let unfounded neighborhood fears derail justice reform | The Salt Lake Tribune Here is a link to an OP Ed that was in Sunday's SL Tribune by Anna Brower, (Public Policy Analyst ACLU, Molly Prince (UPAN President), and Adam Cohen (CEO of Odessey House). … [Read more...]
UPAN ACTION/CHANGE Priorities for 2015
First introduced at our January 12th monthly meeting, the following is the UPAN Action/Change Priorities for FY2015. Inmate Placement Program (IPP) and County Jails Board of Pardons and Parole Sex Offender Population Ontracting with County Jails – “Inmate Placement Program” Currently, the Department of Corrections sends about a quarter of state prison inmates … [Read more...]
