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Getting Involved 101
There are many ways to get involved with criminal justice reform in Utah. Please find below a list of resources to get started, which include advocacy opportunities, the Smart Justice Utah social media streams, news articles featuring our Smart Justice efforts, and the Smart Justice Utah calendar. The calendar includes upcoming Smart Justice Utah events and other events related to criminal justice reform. If you have an event that you would like included please contact us!
2018 Prosecutor Elections
General elections for County Prosecutors are coming up on November 6, 2018. Mail ballots must be postmarked on or before November 5, 2018. Statewide, in-person early voting will take place October 23-November 2, 2018, but you will need to check with your county clerk on the days your county will participate in early voting.
Make sure you have the information you need about your local candidates by visiting our 2018 County Prosecutor Candidate Tracker under our Prosecutorial Reform tab. Keep checking our calendar for updates on County Prosecutor debates hosted by Smart Justice Utah coming up in September!
Also, make sure you're registered to vote!
This year anyone may register to vote on Election Day at their polling location! You can find your polling location here. You can also register to vote in-person at your county clerk's office at least 7 days before the election (October 30).
You can register online or by mail here. If you register online you must register at least 7 days before the election (October 30) to be eligible to vote in that election, but if you want to be eligible for Early Voting you must register 15 days before the election. If you mail your registration it must be postmarked at least 30 days (October 9) before the election. Additional voting information can be found on the ACLU of Utah 2018 Voter Empowerment Guide.
Make sure you have the information you need about your local candidates by visiting our 2018 County Prosecutor Candidate Tracker under our Prosecutorial Reform tab. Keep checking our calendar for updates on County Prosecutor debates hosted by Smart Justice Utah coming up in September!
Also, make sure you're registered to vote!
This year anyone may register to vote on Election Day at their polling location! You can find your polling location here. You can also register to vote in-person at your county clerk's office at least 7 days before the election (October 30).
You can register online or by mail here. If you register online you must register at least 7 days before the election (October 30) to be eligible to vote in that election, but if you want to be eligible for Early Voting you must register 15 days before the election. If you mail your registration it must be postmarked at least 30 days (October 9) before the election. Additional voting information can be found on the ACLU of Utah 2018 Voter Empowerment Guide.
Public Comment on Parole and Probation Guidelines
House Bill 291 was passed in Utah's 2018 legislative session. It required the Utah Sentencing Commission to draft Supervision Length Guidelines for individuals on probation and parole. These guidelines are meant to 1) increase equity in criminal supervision lengths, 2) respond to public comment, 3) relate the length of supervision to an offender's progress, 4) take into account an offender's risk of offending again, 5) relate the length of supervision to the amount of time an offender has remained under supervision in the community, and 6) enhance the discretion of sentencing judges while preserving the tole of the Board of Pardons and Parole.
The Utah Sentencing Commission published the drafted guidelines here. The Commission is accepting public comment on the guidelines until September 2. This is your chance to review the proposed guidelines and let the Commission know how it can best meet the purpose of the guidelines outlined in points 1-6 above. You may email your comments to sentencingcommission@utah.gov. The Commission will vote on the final draft during a public meeting on September 13, 2018, in suite 330 of the Senate Building at the Utah Capitol Complex.
The Utah Sentencing Commission published the drafted guidelines here. The Commission is accepting public comment on the guidelines until September 2. This is your chance to review the proposed guidelines and let the Commission know how it can best meet the purpose of the guidelines outlined in points 1-6 above. You may email your comments to sentencingcommission@utah.gov. The Commission will vote on the final draft during a public meeting on September 13, 2018, in suite 330 of the Senate Building at the Utah Capitol Complex.
Smart Justice Utah Calendar
Smart Justice Utah in the News
2018 County Prosecutor Elections
Prosecutorial Oversight
Combating Racial Disparities
Reducing Mass Incarceration by 50%
- ACLU hopes to educate Utah voters about the powerful role of a prosecutor ahead of the 2018 election - Salt Lake Tribune - 4/3/18
- ACLU of Utah to Release County Questionnaire for Prosecutor Candidates - Uintah Standard Basin/Vernal Express - 4/17/18
- ABU Education Fund announces 2018 primary debates - UtahPolicy.com - 5/17/18
- Radio interview on KRCL's RadioActive about prosecutor candidate questionnaire - 5/30/18
- Better Utah Broadcast livestream interview about prosecutor elections and Wasatch County Republic Primary Debate - 6/6/18
- Republican Primary Debate: Wasatch County Attorney - KBYU 11 - 6/8/2018
Prosecutorial Oversight
- Utah County Attorney speaks against proposed prosecutorial review board - Daily Herald - 2/20/18
- Salt Lake County will create a group to review inmates’ claims of wrongful conviction no matter who wins district attorney race - Salt Lake Tribune - 6/11/18
- Barron: The Promise of Exoneration is not Enough - The Daily Utah Chronicle - 8/26/18
Combating Racial Disparities
- Utah minority offenders now even more likely to get prison sentences - Standard-Examiner - 2/15/18
Reducing Mass Incarceration by 50%
Social Media Streams