§ 64-13-6 — Department duties.

(1) The department shall:
(1)(a) protect the public through institutional care and confinement, and supervision in the community of offenders where appropriate;
(1)(b) implement court-ordered punishment of offenders;
(1)(c) provide evidence-based and evidence-informed program opportunities for offenders designed to reduce offenders' criminogenic and recidivism risks, including behavioral, cognitive, educational, and career-readiness program opportunities;
(1)(d) ensure that offender participation in all program opportunities described in Subsection (1)(c) is voluntary;
(1)(e) where appropriate, utilize offender volunteers as mentors in the program opportunities described in Subsection (1)(c);
(1)(f) provide treatment for sex offenders who are found to be treatable based upon criteria developed by the department;
(1)(g) provide the results of ongoing clinical assessment of sex offenders and objective diagnostic testing to sentencing and release authorities;
(1)(h) manage programs that take into account the needs and interests of victims, where reasonable;
(1)(i) through the Division of Adult Probation and Parole created in Section 64-14-202, supervise probationers and parolees as directed by statute and implemented by the courts and the Board of Pardons and Parole;
(1)(j) subject to Subsection (2), investigate criminal conduct involving offenders incarcerated in a state correctional facility;
(1)(k) cooperate and exchange information with other state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies to achieve greater success in prevention and detection of crime and apprehension of criminals;
(1)(l) implement the provisions of Title 77, Chapter 28c, Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision;
(1)(m) establish a case action plan based on appropriate validated risk, needs, and responsivity assessments for each offender as follows:
(1)(m)(i) (1)(m)(i)(A) if an offender is to be supervised in the community, the department shall establish a case action plan for the offender no later than 60 days after the day on which the department's community supervision of the offender begins; and
(1)(m)(i)(B) if the offender is committed to the custody of the department, the department shall establish a case action plan for the offender no later than 90 days after the day on which the offender is committed to the custody of the department;
(1)(m)(ii) each case action plan shall:
(1)(m)(ii)(A) integrate an individualized, evidence-based, and evidence-informed treatment and program plan with clearly defined completion requirements; and
(1)(m)(ii)(B) require that a case manager will:
(1)(m)(ii)(B)(I) ensure that an assessment of the education level, occupational interests, and aptitudes of the inmate has been completed;
(1)(m)(ii)(B)(II) refer the inmate to a higher education student advisor at an institution offering programs consistent with the inmate's interests and aptitudes for advisement on educational preferences and plans;
(1)(m)(ii)(B)(III) incorporate the inmate's interests, aptitudes, and student advisement into an education plan consistent with the guidance provided by the Higher Education and Corrections Council created in Section 53H-1-604; and
(1)(m)(ii)(B)(IV) refer the inmate to the student advisor at the institution called for in the case action plan for guidance and assistance with the education process;
(1)(m)(iii) the department shall share each newly established case action plan with the sentencing and release authority within 30 days after the day on which the case action plan is established; and
(1)(m)(iv) the department shall share any changes to a case action plan, including any change in an offender's risk assessment, with the sentencing and release authority within 30 days after the day of the change;
(1)(n) ensure that an inmate has reasonable access to legal research;
(1)(o) ensure that any training or certification required of a public official or public employee, as those terms are defined in Section 63G-22-102, complies with Title 63G, Chapter 22, State Training and Certification Requirements, if the training or certification is required:
(1)(o)(i) under this title;
(1)(o)(ii) by the department; or
(1)(o)(iii) by an agency or division within the department;
(1)(p) when reporting on statewide recidivism, include the metrics and requirements described in Section 63M-7-102;
(1)(q) create a reentry division that focuses on the successful reentry of inmates into the community, which shall include:
(1)(q)(i) screening and assessments for an inmate's risks and needs;
(1)(q)(ii) individualized plans and case management;
(1)(q)(iii) quality treatment, education, and job preparation;
(1)(q)(iv) community partnerships; and
(1)(q)(v) comprehensive release planning before the inmate's release, including:
(1)(q)(v)(A) coordination with support services; and
(1)(q)(v)(B) coordination with one or more family members or friends, if the inmate has given permission to contact specific individuals for this purpose;
(1)(r) coordinate with the Board of Pardons and Parole regarding inmate records that are necessary for the Board of Pardons and Parole to make necessary determinations regarding an inmate; and
(1)(s) ensure that inmate records regarding discipline, programs, and other relevant metrics are:
(1)(s)(i) complete and updated in a timely manner; and
(1)(s)(ii) when applicable, shared with the Board of Pardons and Parole in a timely manner.
(2) In accordance with department policy, the department may conduct criminal investigations regarding an allegation that:
(2)(a) an offender has committed a criminal offense; or
(2)(b) an employee of the department has committed a criminal offense.
(3) (3)(a) The executive director of the department, or the executive director's designee if the designee possesses expertise in correctional programming, shall consult at least annually with cognitive and career-readiness staff experts from the Utah system of higher education and the State Board of Education to review the department's evidence-based and evidence-informed treatment and program opportunities.
(3)(b) Beginning in the 2022 interim, the department shall provide an annual report to the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee regarding:
(3)(b)(i) the department's implementation of and offender participation in evidence-based and evidence-informed treatment and program opportunities designed to reduce the criminogenic and recidivism risks of offenders over time; and
(3)(b)(ii) the progress of the department's implementation of the inmate program requirements described in Section 64-13-50.
(4) (4)(a) As used in this Subsection (4):
(4)(a)(i) "Accounts receivable" means any amount owed by an offender arising from a criminal judgment that has not been paid.
(4)(a)(ii) "Accounts receivable" includes unpaid fees, overpayments, fines, forfeitures, surcharges, costs, interest, penalties, restitution to victims, third-party claims, claims, reimbursement of a reward, and damages that an offender is ordered to pay.
(4)(b) The department shall collect and disburse, with any interest and any other costs assessed under Section 64-14-204, an accounts receivable for an offender during:
(4)(b)(i) the parole period and any extension of that period in accordance with Subsection (4)(c); and
(4)(b)(ii) the probation period for which the court orders supervised probation and any extension of that period by the department in accordance with Subsection 77-18-105(7).
(4)(c) (4)(c)(i) If an offender has an unpaid balance of the offender's accounts receivable at the time that the offender's sentence expires or terminates, the department shall be referred to the sentencing court for the sentencing court to enter a civil judgment of restitution and a civil accounts receivable as described in Section 77-18-114.
(4)(c)(ii) If the board makes an order for restitution within 60 days from the day on which the offender's sentence expires or terminates, the board shall refer the order for restitution to the sentencing court to be entered as a civil judgment of restitution as described in Section 77-18-114.
(4)(d) This Subsection (4) only applies to offenders sentenced before July 1, 2021.
(5) (5)(a) The department may procure or adopt technology services to facilitate the coordination of services and enhance accountability with agencies, local partners, and community-based organizations that are involved with assisting individuals on probation or parole.
(5)(b) If possible, the technology services described in Subsection (5)(a) shall:
(5)(b)(i) maintain a single, secure client record with a unique identifier to ensure seamless coordination and reduce duplication of services;
(5)(b)(ii) notify authorized users of incoming service requests or referrals;
(5)(b)(iii) provide secure access to information necessary to understanding and addressing the needs of an individual, including the individual's service and care history;
(5)(b)(iv) allow authorized users to exchange information with referring or collaborating organizations through a secure and live chat feature; and
(5)(b)(v) send and track individual referrals, store referral outcomes, and document services provided.

Legislative History

Amended by Chapter 9, 2025 Special Session 1