The Utah Department of Corrections and some county jails did not come off well in a legislative audit released today. Among other things, the department did a poor job overseeing county jails where it keeps inmates, the audit says.

Meanwhile, journalists and the public aren't allowed to oversee much of what Corrections or the jails are doing. Earlier this year, Corrections denied a records request I made for inspection reports of county jails.

The State Records Committee sided with Corrections. The committee agreed a state statute preventing the release of "security measures" applied to the inspection reports. The theory is an inmate could use the information in the inspection to plot an escape. That the public should be informed of dangers at a jail is not to be considered, Corrections and the committee decided.

And while today's audit recommended improving the jail inspection process and documentation, Correction's non-disclosure policy and the records committee's ruling stands. So Utah could have the best and safest penitentiaries and jails in the world — or the worst — and we aren't allowed to know.

— NC

Labels: GRAMA, jail/prisons, secrecy, State Records Committee