UTAH (ABC4) – The Utah Department of Corrections has announced that starting in early June, in-person visiting, as well as volunteer and religious services, will resume at the Utah State Prison (USP) in Draper and the Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF) in Gunnison.
Department officials say visits and services will roll out in a “phased approached” and will adhere to COVID-19 guidelines such as social distancing, wearing face coverings, and temperature checks.
“Our incarcerated population have not seen their family in-person for more than a year,” said Brian Nielson, executive director for the Utah Department of Corrections. “Throughout this pandemic the incarcerated have shown great fortitude in adhering to COVID-19 guidelines in order to help slow the spread of the virus.”
In March 2020, all in-person visits to Utah’s prisons were suspended and supplemented with 10 free 15-minute phone calls a week.
The department plans to continue providing video visits when in-person visiting resumes, according to a news release.
“We appreciate state and local health officials for their continued support and guidance on navigating the pandemic,” Nielson says. “And finally, I would be remiss if I did not thank our incredible staff who have worked diligently to make this happen, and have been nimble since the outset of the pandemic to adapt to ongoing changes.”
Those planning in-person visits must first have visitor applications approved. For more information, click here.
Volunteers who wish to communicate with the department can do so by emailing udc_vrs@utah.gov.
