Marking the completion of a project that began over six years ago, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held by political leaders at the new Utah State Prison site.
Costing over one billion dollars to complete, the new Utah State Prison has become one of the most expensive construction projects in Utah’s history. Not only that, but over 1,500 people worked on construction throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Spencer Cox says that the construction of this new prison was absolutely worth it. Regardless of how much it cost and how often it got delayed, Cox and other officials believe that it was well worth it in the end as the new site presents an opportunity for changes in criminal justice reforms.
Brian Nelson, executive director of Utah’s Department of Corrections, says that staff will have more interaction with those who are incarcerated. The prison was also built with the idea of reforming an inmate’s mental health as well as their educational and medical needs.
The original prison, built in 1953, will be torn down and developed into something new. Inmates will be moved to the new prison by the end of the summer, but the Utah Department of Corrections has refused to give an exact date.
