This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In his State of the State address, Gov. Gary Herbert said, "It's time to get serious about finding a more suitable location for the state prison," perhaps in Tooele County ("State of State: Utah governor 'Never been more optimistic,'" Tribune, Jan. 31). He should give this more thought.
When I retired in 2006 as a probation and parole agent, about 80 percent of everything that happened in Corrections happened in Salt Lake County: 80 percent of people on probation and parole; 80 percent of returning parole violators; 80 percent of the families who are prisoners' support system.
All the prisoner medical treatment and substance abuse treatment? In this county.
What about the employees who live in Salt Lake and Utah counties? Should all just move to Tooele, or wherever?
What about the agents who have to return violators to prison, and the transportation officers who bring these people to courts that usually are in Salt Lake County? Who cares how much more time that's going to take?
If there is a buck to be made by a rich Realtor, that makes everything else OK?
This is just a bad idea.
Jeff Stickley
Murray