An expanded ankle monitoring program in Duchesne County is literally offering new life for nonviolent offenders sentenced to the Duchesne County Jail. While GPS-equipped ankle monitoring has been in use since 2016, in August the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office expanded the program to include post-conviction supervision, determined by a judge on an individual basis. As of November 1st, Duchesne County was monitoring 8 individuals on pre-trial release and 9 individuals on post-conviction release. “We can go up to as many as 30 people,” shares Sheriff’s Lt. Jeremy Curry, “without having to modify the system we have in place.” A screening process determines whether a person is accepted into the program and considers things like criminal history, their history of problems in the jail, and whether they have a support system outside the jail if released. Those accepted into the program are required to wear the ankle monitor 24/7, undergo drug and alcohol testing a minimum of 3 times per week, attend any treatment ordered by the court, and obtain or maintain employment. Funded by the state’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative, the program’s goal is to move the criminal justice system toward a model that imprisons those who are a danger to the public and provides treatment to those who pose little to no threat to Utah communities.
