Current Prison Overcrowded? Hardly.

2:22 PM 0 Comments

A reason cited for prison relocation is that the current prison needs more capacity.  The above diagram from the UDC would indicate otherwise, showing a trend of decreasing population! The maximum capacity for the prison is 7,431 and there are currently 7,011 inmates.  Now, the possibility exists that the trend could change and additional capacity could be needed sooner rather than later but for now the prison has some room to grow.

Relocating the prison to Tooele county would increase the county population by over 11% with inmates alone.  Put in perspective, it's essentially the equivalent of adding the entire county population growth over the past 8 years literally overnight.  Can local infrastructure support a rapid 11% increase in population?

There appears to be opportunity to reduce the current prison population.  The population now consists of 13% inmates charged with drug offences, 4% of which are possession only.  With some updated drug laws and rehabilitation programs the state could further reduce the incarceration rate (Utah is #44 in the U.S.).  There is already a proposal on the books to reclassify drug possession from a third-degree felony to a Class-A misdemeanor.  Some current prison education programs already enacted have shown a reduction of recidivism by 1/3.