Patterson said he will use an extra $3 million aimed at recruiting and retention to boost starting salaries at the Draper prison, where nearly one in four slots remains unfilled. How much he will spread the wealth beyond that remains undetermined, Patterson said. Early estimates showed starting pay could increase $1.50, to $15.25, to compete with area county jails.

Lawmakers turned down Patterson's request for $2.4 million to hire more transportation officers to meet his new requirement for two officers per inmate after the 2007 death of officer Stephen Anderson.

To continue that policy, Patterson said he will continue using overtime pay despite the effect on morale. He is considering delaying two projects lawmakers did fund: a 192-bed expansion to the Gunnison prison slated to open in July and a 300-bed privatized parole center in Salt Lake County slated to open in January.

Patterson took over last year, emphasizing rehabilitation aimed at reducing the need to build prison beds. But lawmakers offered him little new money in those efforts.

This year marked the 12th in a row that lawmakers refused extra sexual offender treatment money, despite a doubling of imprisoned sex offenders in that time, Patterson said. And a request for $1.5 million to restore and prop up prison higher education was trimmed to $150,000.

"Programming continues to be one of our goals, and yet we are limited with the amount of resources we have," Patterson said. "It requires that we be innovative."

The department will restrict sex offender treatment to those who show the most potential, Patterson said, and will focus on making sure state inmates in county jails at least have access to high school courses.

Utah State University canceled prison courses last year, citing a lack of funds. Salt Lake Community College and other colleges still offer courses.

rrizzo@sltrib.com