Utah County Jail

Housing

The mission of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Housing Division is to serve the members of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and all citizens of Utah County by professionally housing individuals awaiting court hearings or those individuals sentenced to be incarcerated. The Utah County Jail will protect the public by providing a secure, humane environment for the incarceration of those persons accused or convicted of violating the law.

It is the philosophy of the Sheriff and his staff:

1. Incarceration is punishment, in and of itself.
2. All inmates and staff will be held accountable for their actions.

To meet the standards set forth in the mission statement, the Utah County Jail will:

1. Create a positive atmosphere and environment where inmates have the opportunity to learn and change in preparation for reintegration into society;
2. Employ qualified, professional staff, and provide them with continuous training; and
3. Provide cost-effective inmate programming covering a variety of critical issues which affect the occurrence of crime.

Additionally, the Housing Division staff will provide those individuals incarcerated in jail the tools to enter back into society and become a productive member of the community. This is done through programs, direction, consistency and consequences. We will strive to serve the Sheriff’s Office with high performance, dignity, honesty and integrity.

The Utah County Jail Housing Division utilizes direct supervision of inmates and strives to correct behavior and actions before returning incarcerated individuals back into society.

The principles of direct supervision are:

1. Effective Control
2. Effective Supervision
3. Competent Staff
4. Safety of Staff and Inmates
5. Manageable and Cost Effective
6. Effective Communication
7. Classification and Orientation
8. Justice and Fairness
9. Ownership

Direct Supervision is based primarily upon an individual’s behavior and compliance with established rules within the jail institution. Privileges can be earned based on an individual’s compliance with jail rules and expectations.

The facility's average daily population of pre-sentenced and sentenced inmates is approximately 942, with security levels ranging from low too high. The Utah County Jail has a current total capacity to house 1092 inmates. The inmate housing area consists of seven housing units for female inmates and fifteen housing units for male inmates. All Housing units consist of concrete modules consisting of dormitory-style living quarters or cell style living quarters. Each housing area has access to an exercise yard.

The Utah County Jail offers inmates access to inmate phone services, religious services, school programs, substance abuse meetings, medical services, inmate services, canteen/commissary services and visitation.

The Utah County Jail Housing Division consists of two Housing Division Lieutenants, eight Housing Division Sergeants, eighty-two Housing Division Deputies and fourteen Housing Division Civilian staff with an annual operating budget of approximately eight million seven hundred thousand dollars.

Helpful Information:

■ Good time is calculated by not only good behavior, but also by the participation in programs. Booking cannot calculate good time, so please don’t ask. Working in the jail may help them to accrue more good time. Usually at a rate of 10 days per month, whereas no participation will only earn five days per month.

■ Inmate Visitation It usually takes 3-5 business days for inmates to be eligible for visitation. If you want to schedule a visit, please review the information above.

■ Our standard release time for anyone who has been to court that day is at 3:15 in the afternoon. We ask the public to wait until that time before they come down to pick them up, this gives us enough time to process the paperwork after the prisoner returns to jail from court.

■ If you are bailing out a friend or family member, you may use a credit card for this process. Keep in mind that there will be an additional charge for the transaction. We cannot take credit card payments over the phone. We must have the exact amount we tell you, no loose change, and no personal checks will be accepted. Cashiers checks and money orders must be made out to “ The Utah County Jail”.

■ The Out Program is a thirty-day program. It usually takes about two weeks to get a spot in the program. During this time they participate in classes and can be evaluated by the out program staff for eligibility and placement at foothill.

■ Jail Industries are for inmates in custody. They are transported to various business locations throughout the county.

■ We as a general rule do not accept the term “warrant recalled” to release anyone from jail. As the warrant could be recalled for several different reasons, we need the paperwork to state “released by the judge” or “ROR”.

■ We will transport inmates to prison as soon as we have the transport orders from the court of jurisdiction.

■ If you are calling about a family member or friend, you must have their full name for us to locate them in the booking system.

■ We don’t give out court dates. You can call the court of jurisdiction for that information.

■ We won’t pass messages to inmates. They can communicate by phone or letters to family and friends.

Jail Programs

Inmate programs in the jail are a critical element in accomplishing the mission of the facility, which includes a philosophy of providing for the reintegration of inmates into society. These programs include computer labs for self-paced learning in the full range of classes leading to a high school diploma or equivalent. Additionally, there is an aggressive partnership between the jail and Nebo School District for the assignment of a high school teacher to teach in-house courses for inmates in the jail. Special emphasis is on adult literacy, GED, substance abuse counseling, religious services, library services, and recreation.

What is important for the public to know about programs offered to the inmates while they are incarcerated in the Utah County Jail, is that these programs are provided at no cost to the public. Money is generated from the “inmate telephone systems” and the inmates are paying for the programs offered to them while they are incarcerated. We have 7 part-time employees and over 90 volunteers. Specific programs for the inmates, with a short description, are listed below:

1. GED / High School Diploma

The jail staff works for Nebo School District. This class is offered to those who have not completed their High School Diploma it gives them an opportunity to receive a GED Certificate. Inmates are to submit a request, after which they will be tested and then a course curriculum developed to assist them in passing their GED Testing. Class sessions are held Monday - Friday from 0900 hours to 1600 hours. Inmates will earn good time based on the recommendation of the class instructor for positive improvement and/or 5 days good time for passing the GED Test.

To obtain a copy of your GED certificate or test results, please contact GED Testing Service at 1-877-392-6433 or by email at help@gedtestingservice.com.

2. Life Skills (Improving Relationships)

The life skills instructors are part-time employees. The course is a 15-hour course and takes approximately 3 weeks to complete. The course material includes Communication Skills, Anger Recognition and Management, Parenting Skills, and Marriage Relationship Skills. We offer the class in four housing units a month, on a rotating basis. Completion of this course will earn 5 days good time.

3. Life Skills (Why Try?)

The life skills instructors are part-time employees. The course is a 15-hour course and takes approximately 3 weeks to complete. During this class, harmful ideas, beliefs and behaviors that keep one from achieving goals, and developing good relationships with others are discussed. The focus in class is to teach how to succeed in life, even when you feel frustrated, confused, or angry with life’s pressures and challenges. Completion of this course will earn 5 days good time.

4. Life Skills (Bridges)

These instructors are all volunteers. The course is a 12-hour course and takes approximately 3 weeks to complete. During this class, mood disorders (stress, anxiety, depression, etc), bipolar disorders, thought disorders (i.e. paranoia), schizophrenia, relapse prevention, recovery, helpful support, medication and the brain, problem management, and communication skills are discussed. The focus in class is to recognize forms of mental illness and to teach how to succeed in life, even though you may feel frustrated, confused, or angry with life’s situations. Completion of this course will earn 5 days good time.

5. Life Skills (Living @ 5)

The instructor that teaches this course is a part-time employee. He is a certified instructor of the Franklin Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The course is approximately a 15-hour course and takes about 3 weeks to complete. The Living @ 5 course is divided into two sections. The first section teaches powerful principles regarding thinking processes. Seven principles are integrated into a model that instructs students how to recognize where their thoughts are focused in time–the past, the present or the future. Students are taught to recognize that feelings of shame, guilt, regret, and revenge come from too much thinking in the past. Feelings of fear, anxiety, and dismay come from too much thinking in the future. Students are taught that power to change their lives exists only in the present moment. "If Not Now-When?", the course motto, suggests that the time to change is NOW. The second section of the course presents Habits 1, 2, 3 & 7 of the popular course from Franklin Covey Company, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The habits that are taught lead a person to replace reactive and victim-based behaviors with proactive behaviors. Personal Mission Statements are drafted, priorities set, and short and long-term goals created. Completion of this course will earn 5 days good time.

6. Alcoholic Anonymous

Alcoholic Anonymous are comprised of volunteers. They will meet with interested inmates once a week in a group setting.

7. LDS 12 Step Drug Rehab Program

The instructors are volunteers from the LDS Church. They will meet with interested inmates once a week in a group setting. The course is structured around values held by the LDS faith.

8. On Unit Drug Treatment (OUT) Program

The O.U.T. Program is a short term residential substance dependency treatment program infused by Utah County Department of Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Treatment into the Utah County Jail. Eligible inmates will receive approximately 20 hours of programming per week, consisting of 4 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 13 weeks. The O.U.T. Program consists of group psychotherapy and psycho-educational groups. In addition, each participant will receive an individual substance dependency assessment/evaluation, individual therapy, and individual case management. Individual case management will focus on employment, housing, and relapse prevention planning. In order to be found eligible the individual will need to specifically apply for The O.U.T. Program, have good behavior, and already be sentenced with enough time remaining in their sentence to successfully complete the 90-day program. The O.U.T. Program focuses on treating 8 major and moderate criminogenic needs, or in other words, targets the participant's individual needs related to their risks of re-offending and coming back to jail.

9. RadKids Program

The instructors are part-time employees. The course is taught to parents who are in jail, whose family is enrolled in the class in the community. It’s a program designed to discuss the prevention of violence and personal safety for victims.

10. Discharge Plan

The instructor meets with as many inmates as she can a week before they are discharged from the Jail. As she meets with the inmates she reviews with the inmates a plan of action upon their release from jail. Critical needs of the inmates are discussed: housing, food, counseling and employment opportunities. Utah County resources and services are also discussed with the inmates.

11. Utah Defendant Offender Workforce Development

The Utah Defendant Offender Workforce Development (UDOWD) program at the Utah County Sheriff's Office is part of a nationwide effort to reduce recidivism using best practices.

The UDOWD Task Force is a collaborative effort of federal, state, and local law enforcement working with Workforce Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, religious and business interests.

Offenders have many important transitions in life and during their time in jail. Before they transition from the main jail into Jail Industries Program those who choose to participate in UDOWD attend an orientation. During this orientation, they complete various assessments to better understand how their vocational choices impact their life. During a follow-up interview the offender takes a Work Values assessment to help them find the career choices that are or may be a good fit for them while in jail and upon release.

The offenders who participate in the program and classes learn pro-social skills that will help them transition back into society. They learn how career development and proper vocational choices can lead to job satisfaction and successful reintegration back into the community.

Obtaining Proof of DNA Collection

The Utah County Jail provides a yellow carbon copy of the DNA Collection form to every person whose DNA is taken at the Jail. This is your proof that your DNA was taken at our facility. We do not keep a copy on file. If you lose your copy you must call the State DNA Lab at 801-560-6219 to obtain proof that your DNA was taken.

Other services provided to the inmates through discharge planning include educational opportunities and financial assistance, vocational rehabilitation opportunities, Community Action, Turning Point, Utah National Guard, Apprenticeship Training, Department of Work Force Services, Gathering Place, temporary staffing services, Food and Care Coalition, and District Adult Education Departments. The inmates are provided with telephone numbers and a map of the area that identifies where these agencies are located.

Work Diversion

The Utah County Sheriff’s Office Work Diversion program provides inmates with the opportunity to serve their court-ordered sentence performing community work projects as opposed to serving a sentence in secure jail confinement. The inmates sentenced to this program continue to work at their full-time jobs as they complete work projects either on the weekends or their other scheduled days off throughout the week.

The work performed by the inmates is classified as general, unskilled labor. Work projects in the past have included: highway trash removal, set-up and clean-up after city or county celebrations, landscaping projects, snow removal, vehicle cleaning for Utah County Fire and UDOT as well as a wide array of other projects. The only requirement placed upon who is eligible to have work performed for them is that is must be a public entity such as a city, municipality or county government within Utah County, no private individuals or companies are allowed to have work performed for them.

The inmates in the Work Diversion program are directly supervised by deputies from the Sheriff’s Office who monitor their attendance, behavior and quality of work. The Sheriff’s Office requires the inmates to perform their work to a high standard. Non-compliant inmates who either do not work hard enough or do not complete their sentence in a timely manner are removed from the program and returned to the judge who originally sentenced them.

The Work Diversion program puts inmates who have violated the law back to work in our local community to pay their debt, perform needed work and serve their sentence. The program is visibly successful and a great public relations tool for the Sheriff’s Office.

Fees:

-The cost of participating in the program is $25.00 per month. This fee is collected at the beginning of your first day of participating in the program.

-Payment must be made by cashiers check or money order only. NO personal checks will be accepted.

**If you are court ordered to provide a DNA sample, an additional cashiers check/money order in the amount of $150.00, made out to the "Utah County Jail", is due prior to completion of the program. Payment date will be determined by the supervising deputy.**

Please print and fill out the "Work Diversion Instruction" and "Work Diversion Agreement" forms. You will need to bring these completed forms with you to orientation. If you have additional questions after reading through the forms, please call 801-851-4273 and leave a message.