Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Prisons In Utah State

In this blog post, we'll talk about Utah's facilities for housing criminals. So let's quickly review the Utah Prison System before moving on to the major idea.

The Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) was established as a dedicated group of professionals who strive to enhance the community. Fifteen thousand members of the community and 5,900 offenders are supervised by the agency under the command of its 2,300 staff members. Inmates can choose from a wide range of educational and vocational programs based on their requirements and criminal histories.

Due to Utah's extremely high recidivism rate, the Department of Corrections frequently experiences overcrowding in its facilities. To overcome it, UDC has extended its facilities to cope with the increasing rate of the inmate population. Here is the list of state housing facilities managed by UDC.

1. Utah State Prison
2. The Olympus facility
3. The Oquirrh facility
4. Promontory
5. Uintas
6. Timpanogos Women's Correctional Facility
7. Wasatch
8. Utah State Correctional Facility
9. Central Utah Correctional Facility
10. County Jail Program

Level 1, 2, 3 Prisons of Utah Department of Corrections(UDC)

UDC prison facilities are operated under three levels of security, i.e., Minimum, Medium, And Maximum. In this section, we will look into the state prison complex and its units categorized for incarcerating inmates of different custody levels and needs.

UTAH STATE PRISON:

The current location of Utah State Prison has been S. Bitterbrush Lane, Draper, since 1951. The complex accommodates 4,500 offenders in six facilities, and is housed in a certain facility based on their status and needs.

Utah State Prison inmates are offered several programs like vocational training, intensive substance abuse treatments, and high school education. To aid addiction treatment, male and female inmates are offered opportunities to participate in ConQuest and ExCell programs respectively. Inmates are also encouraged to get high school diplomas through Canyons School District.

Following are the facilities that function under the jurisdiction of Utah State Prison to accommodate criminals of different custody levels.

The Olympus facility

The Olympus facility is designed to accommodate prisoners with mental health issues and has the capacity to hold 168 inmates at full occupancy.

These inmates generally have more serious mental illnesses and require psychotropic medication and increased support from mental health staff. However, in extreme cases, if an inmate's behavior becomes dangerous and poses a risk to themselves, other prisoners, staff, or visitors, they may be temporarily transferred to the Maximum Security facility until their behavior stabilizes.

Although the prison is not a specialized mental health facility, the Utah Department of Corrections aims to provide appropriate mental health services.

The Oquirrh facility

Located on the southern end of the Utah State Prison complex and is made up of five buildings.

One of the two geriatric dormitories for aging prisoners in the Utah State Prison is located within the Oquirrh facility.

The prison endeavors to match elderly offenders of 55+ age who may need assistance with daily living tasks with younger, more capable offenders who can provide support. This helps keep the less able offenders separate from those who may exploit their disabilities or weaknesses.

Promontory

The Promontory Correctional Facility within Draper Prison primarily houses the Con-Quest Substance Use Treatment Program and the Resolve Sex Offense Treatment Program.

Residents are taught positive behaviors through the example set by other residents and staff, who use assertive communication skills to hold each other accountable for following the program and building rules. They also offer positive feedback for actions that improve the living environment in the dorms.

Uintas

The facility has three units that serve 800 inmates in maximum custody.

Uinta 1 is the most secure building in the State's prison system and can hold up to 96 inmates. Inmates are housed in single cells but can still communicate with each other through cell doors. Privilege levels vary based on behavior, and most inmates, including those on death row, can earn greater privileges and move to other areas by demonstrating positive behavior.

Male offenders are housed at Unita 5 which is considered a Receiving and Orientation unit. Newly sentenced offenders, those who violate probation and return to prison, and those who violate parole conditions are all housed here initially. Inmates take the "Level of Service Inventory" (LSI) test, which is used by staff to assess which program an offender should choose before being released from custody.

Timpanogos Women's Correctional Facility

The Timpanogos Women's Correctional Facility at the Utah State Prison is isolated from the male facilities to minimize potential management issues. The facility consists of five buildings arranged in a star shape, with Star 1 to Star 4 housing female inmates and having recreation yards.

Star 5 is used for activities such as the library, classrooms, gym, and culinary. Star 1 and Star 2 house general population inmates, Star 3 is the maximum-security unit for women with behavioral issues, and Star 4 houses the ExCell substance abuse treatment program.

Wasatch

The Wasatch facility at the Utah State Prison has gradually grown and now accommodates up to 4,300 inmates. Wasatch is designated for medium-security prisoners and houses the infirmary. The facility has a total capacity of nearly 800 inmates.

Wasatch A West serves as temporary housing for Receiving and Orientation and has the capacity to hold 95 offenders. Wasatch A East also has the capacity to hold 95 offenders.

Inmates in A East are housed in individual cells, and their privileges and time outside of their cells vary based on their classification and privilege level.

Baker Block within the Wasatch building is a medium-security housing area. Charlie Block can house 60 offenders and is currently being used as the COVID Positive Isolation Unit. D-Block is designated as the housing unit for the hearing impaired, with modifications made to meet their needs. It is also known as "Dog Block", has the capacity for 192 inmates, and serves as general population housing. It is also.

UTAH STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY:

The Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) became operational in July 2022 and can accommodate close to 3000 prisoners.

The facility prioritizes programming and mental health services, including a mothers and infants program, which provides incarcerated mothers the opportunity to be with their infants during their incarceration.

USCF facility is currently managing seven housing facilities(of different security levels) as listed below:

• Green
• Fremont
• Dell
• Emerald
• Current
• Antelope
• Bear

CENTRAL UTAH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY:

The Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison has the capacity to hold up to 1,800 male prisoners. It comprises three housing facilities: Henry, Boulder, and Monroe.

The facility provides a range of opportunities for prisoners, including life skills courses, high school education, substance abuse treatment, and work programs run by Utah Correctional Industries (Contract Sewing, Sign Shop, and Embroidery/Silk Printing).

COUNTY JAIL PROGRAM:

Due to a shortage of beds in the state's prison system, the Utah State Prison reached its maximum capacity in 1987, causing the Department to turn to county jails for assistance. This led to the Inmate Placement Program, which still exists today to accommodate the ongoing issue of limited prison bed space. Currently, 20 county jails accept state inmates.

Following are county jails housing inmates of UDC;

• Beaver County
• Uintah County
• Wasatch County
• Washington County
• Box Elder County
• Garfield County
• Grand County
• Iron County
• Cache County
• Davis County
• Duchesne County
• San Juan County
• Sanpete County
• Juab County
• Kane County
• Millard County
• Sevier County
• Summit County
• Tooele County