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7 LONG TITLE
8 Committee Note:
9 The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended this bill.
10 General Description:
11 This bill amends provisions relating to the preparation of a presentence investigation
12 report.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This bill:
15 ▸ removes provisions requiring a POST certified Department of Corrections employee
16 to provide investigative services;
17 ▸ provides that a Department of Corrections employee who is trained to prepare a
18 presentence investigation report may prepare a report for the courts, the department,
19 or the Board of Pardons and Parole; and
20 ▸ makes technical changes.
21 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22 None
23 Other Special Clauses:
24 None
25 Utah Code Sections Affected:
26 AMENDS:
27 64-13-20, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 81
28 64-13-21, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 334
29
30 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 Section 1. Section 64-13-20 is amended to read:
32 64-13-20. Investigative services -- Presentence investigation reports.
33 (1) The department shall:
34 (a) provide investigative services and prepare reports to:
35 (i) assist the courts in sentencing;
36 (ii) assist the Board of Pardons and Parole in its decision-making responsibilities
37 regarding offenders;
38 (iii) assist the department in managing offenders; and
39 (iv) assure the professional and accountable management of the department;
40 (b) establish standards for providing investigative services based on available
41 resources, giving priority to felony cases; and
42 (c) employ staff for the purpose of conducting:
43 (i) thorough presentence investigations of the social, physical, and mental conditions
44 and backgrounds of offenders; and
45 (ii) examinations when required by the court or the Board of Pardons and Parole.
46 (2) The department may provide recommendations concerning appropriate measures to
47 be taken regarding offenders.
48 (3) (a) An employee of the department who is trained to prepare a presentence
49 investigation report may prepare a presentence investigation report for the courts, the
50 department, or the Board of Pardons and Parole.
51 [
52 as defined in Section 63G-2-305 and after sentencing may not be released except by express
53 court order or by [
54 accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
55 [
56 (i) the [
57 (ii) the Board of Pardons and Parole in its [
58 responsibilities; and
59 (iii) the department in the supervision, confinement, and treatment of the offender.
60 (4) [
61 made available upon request to [
62 within the state if the offender who is the subject of the report has been committed or is being
63 evaluated for commitment to the facility for treatment as a condition of probation or parole.
64 (5) (a) The presentence investigation reports shall include a victim impact statement in
65 all felony cases and in misdemeanor cases if the [
66 death to the victim.
67 (b) Victim impact statements shall:
68 (i) identify the victim of the offense;
69 (ii) itemize any economic loss suffered by the victim as a result of the offense;
70 (iii) identify any physical, mental, or emotional injuries suffered by the victim as a
71 result of the offense, and the seriousness and permanence;
72 (iv) describe any change in the victim's personal welfare or familial relationships as a
73 result of the offense;
74 (v) identify any request for mental health services initiated by the victim or the victim's
75 family as a result of the offense; and
76 (vi) contain any other information related to the impact of the offense upon the victim
77 or the victim's family that the court requires.
78 (6) If the victim is deceased[
79 otherwise unable to provide the information required under this section, the information may
80 be obtained from the personal representative, guardian, or family members, as necessary.
81 (7) The department shall employ staff necessary to pursue investigations of complaints
82 from the public, staff, or offenders regarding the management of corrections programs.
83 Section 2. Section 64-13-21 is amended to read:
84 64-13-21. Supervision of sentenced offenders placed in community -- Rulemaking
85 -- POST certified parole or probation officers and peace officers -- Duties -- Supervision
86 fee.
87 (1) (a) The department, except as otherwise provided by law, shall supervise sentenced
88 offenders placed in the community on probation by the courts, on parole by the Board of
89 Pardons and Parole, or upon acceptance for supervision under the terms of the Interstate
90 Compact for the Supervision of Parolees and Probationers.
91 (b) The department shall establish standards for the supervision of offenders in
92 accordance with sentencing guidelines and supervision length guidelines, including the
93 graduated sanctions matrix, established by the Utah Sentencing Commission, giving priority,
94 based on available resources, to felony offenders and offenders sentenced pursuant to
95 Subsection 58-37-8(2)(b)(ii).
96 (2) The department shall apply graduated sanctions established by the Utah Sentencing
97 Commission to facilitate a prompt and appropriate response to an individual's violation of the
98 terms of probation or parole, including:
99 (a) sanctions to be used in response to a violation of the terms of probation or parole;
100 and
101 (b) requesting approval from the court or Board of Pardons and Parole to impose a
102 sanction for an individual's violation of the terms of probation or parole, for a period of
103 incarceration of not more than three consecutive days and not more than a total of five days
104 within a period of 30 days.
105 (3) The department shall implement a program of graduated incentives as established
106 by the Utah Sentencing Commission to facilitate the department's prompt and appropriate
107 response to an offender's:
108 (a) compliance with the terms of probation or parole; or
109 (b) positive conduct that exceeds those terms.
110 (4) (a) The department shall, in collaboration with the Commission on Criminal and
111 Juvenile Justice and the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, create standards and
112 procedures for the collection of information, including cost savings related to recidivism
113 reduction and the reduction in the number of inmates, related to the use of the graduated
114 sanctions and incentives, and offenders' outcomes.
115 (b) The collected information shall be provided to the Commission on Criminal and
116 Juvenile Justice not less frequently than annually on or before August 31.
117 (5) Employees of the department who are POST certified as law enforcement officers
118 or correctional officers and who are designated as parole and probation officers by the
119 executive director have the following duties:
120 (a) monitoring, investigating, and supervising a parolee's or probationer's compliance
121 with the conditions of the parole or probation agreement;
122 (b) investigating or apprehending any offender who has escaped from the custody of
123 the department or absconded from supervision;
124 [
125
126 [
127 [
128 53-10-404.
129 (6) (a) A monthly supervision fee of $30 shall be collected from each offender on
130 probation or parole. The fee may be suspended or waived by the department upon a showing
131 by the offender that imposition would create a substantial hardship or if the offender owes
132 restitution to a victim.
133 (b) (i) The department shall make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
134 Administrative Rulemaking Act, specifying the criteria for suspension or waiver of the
135 supervision fee and the circumstances under which an offender may request a hearing.
136 (ii) In determining whether the imposition of the supervision fee would constitute a
137 substantial hardship, the department shall consider the financial resources of the offender and
138 the burden that the fee would impose, with regard to the offender's other obligations.
139 (7) (a) For offenders placed on probation under Section 77-18-1 or parole under
140 Subsection 76-3-202(2)(a) on or after October 1, 2015, but before January 1, 2019, the
141 department shall establish a program allowing an offender to earn credits for the offender's
142 compliance with the terms of the offender's probation or parole, which shall be applied to
143 reducing the period of probation or parole as provided in this Subsection (7).
144 (b) The program shall provide that an offender earns a reduction credit of 30 days from
145 the offender's period of probation or parole for each month the offender completes without any
146 violation of the terms of the offender's probation or parole agreement, including the case action
147 plan.
148 (c) The department shall maintain a record of credits earned by an offender under this
149 Subsection (7) and shall request from the court or the Board of Pardons and Parole the
150 termination of probation or parole not fewer than 30 days prior to the termination date that
151 reflects the credits earned under this Subsection (7).
152 (d) This Subsection (7) does not prohibit the department from requesting a termination
153 date earlier than the termination date established by earned credits under Subsection (7)(c).
154 (e) The court or the Board of Pardons and Parole shall terminate an offender's
155 probation or parole upon completion of the period of probation or parole accrued by time
156 served and credits earned under this Subsection (7) unless the court or the Board of Pardons
157 and Parole finds that termination would interrupt the completion of a necessary treatment
158 program, in which case the termination of probation or parole shall occur when the treatment
159 program is completed.
160 (f) The department shall report annually to the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile
161 Justice on or before August 31:
162 (i) the number of offenders who have earned probation or parole credits under this
163 Subsection (7) in one or more months of the preceding fiscal year and the percentage of the
164 offenders on probation or parole during that time that this number represents;
165 (ii) the average number of credits earned by those offenders who earned credits;
166 (iii) the number of offenders who earned credits by county of residence while on
167 probation or parole;
168 (iv) the cost savings associated with sentencing reform programs and practices; and
169 (v) a description of how the savings will be invested in treatment and
170 early-intervention programs and practices at the county and state levels.