Utah State Prison Is Battling Overcrowding

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By The Salt Lake Tribune

Published: 04/24/2003

The Utah State Prison faces an 'overcrowding crisis' that can be temporarily relieved through inmate transfers, but in the long run that might require a fresh infusion of state funding, Corrections officials told legislators April 15.
Despite efforts to keep parole violators from returning to prison for minor infractions, inmate counts have risen steadily since October, mostly from an influx of new criminals, said Mike Sibbett, parole board chairman.
'We're pushing maximum capacity,' said Sibbett, who fears that if inmate growth is left unchecked, it will compromise prison security and eventually require the early release of convicted criminals.
The Legislature funds the prison at 5,500 beds; recently the number of prisoners reached as high as 5,640, said prison spokesman Jack Ford. As of April 14, that number had dropped slightly to 5,578.
While growth isn't certain, Sibbett said the prison prefers to operate at 5 percent below maximum capacity 'to accommodate security issues, such as the separation of two fighting inmates.'
The Utah Department of Corrections has devised a two-step fix-it plan that involves reopening closed correctional facilities. Sibbett and Corrections Executive Director Mike Chabries unveiled their strategy before members of the Executive Appropriations Committee.
The first step is to close Draper's minimum security Lone Peak Correctional Facility and relocate inmates and staff across the street to the larger, but now nonfunctioning Promontory facility.
'This will free up 100 beds,' said Chabries. 'No new staff will be needed and any extra costs for food and laundry will be handled within the existing budget.'
The move will take place as soon as this week, but no later than May 2, Chabries said. 'We're anxious. Two weeks ago we were 15 beds shy of maximum capacity.'
Chabries said if demand escalates, come August he will open the new 288-bed Aspen wing of the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, constructed years ago but never funded.
The opening will cost $1.6 million the first year, to be covered by money set aside to repay the bond on Promontory and savings accrued from a drop in utility costs due to the recent mild winter, as well as the loss of prison guards to the war in Iraq.
To keep Aspen open through fiscal year 2005, Corrections will need another $2.2 million, Chabries said.
Ford said the prison has stretched state funding as far as it will stretch by moving up parole dates and loosening sanctions for minor parole violations, such as drinking or failure to secure a job.
In August, about 100 offenders were paroled days or even weeks before their scheduled dates.

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