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The Utah Department of Corrections on Thursday officially launched a new intervention program to keep female offenders out of jail or prison and also renamed the existing center that is home to the new program in honor of a former state judge.
The Atherton Community Treatment Center, is named after Judge Judith Atherton, who retired from the bench in 2013.
Atherton has long been a vocal advocate for more community resources to meet the needs of offenders — particularly women — with substance abuse and mental health issues, according to a corrections department news release.
"I can think of no one more deserving of this honor than Judge Atherton, who by way of example and patient advocacy has pushed the criminal justice system to do more to help those who have made poor choices, struggled with mental health issues that contribute to criminal behavior or succumbed to the snares of addiction," said Rollin Cook, executive director of the corrections department.
"We believe our Adult Probation & Parole staff will be inspired by Judge Atherton's example," Cook said, "while the women sheltered at the center will come to know there are people like Atherton who offer support, guidance, encouragement and hope."
The Atherton treatment center, formerly the Fremont Community Correctional Center, will be the Department's second facility devoted to women. (The Orange Street Community Correctional Center remains for women who are transitioning from prison to the community.)
The 60-bed residential center, which is already taking clients, is for women who currently have violated their probation or parole conditions and are at risk of being returned to jail or prison.
The women will be referred to the program by a probation or parole agent. Once in the program they will work through a structured program that ranges in length from seven days to 120 days, depending on their individual needs.
The program is part of the department's Female Offender Success Initiative, which is based on the philosophy that programs and strategies used with female offenders should be gender responsive.
In part, that means addressing underlying trauma that may be at the root of poor choices; recognizing the importance of relationships in a woman's life; and using rehabilitation strategies tailored to a woman's needs, according to the news release. The tool used to determine those needs is the Women's Risk Needs Assessment, developed by the University of Cincinnati.
The center's programs will include education and employment help, an array of life skills classes, and health and relapse prevention courses.