The topic of pardons can be controversial. Advocates like Governor Brown call them a “chance to save lives.” However, granting one individual the power to override a lawful conviction leaves that power subject to abuse.
The goal of limiting the number of people incarcerated has merit: incarceration is a drain on society and should be a last resort. However, the number of people who are not successful with community supervision indicates that work remains to be done.
Officers and supervisors who attempt to sweep misconduct under the rug or, worse, retaliate against officers for doing the right thing, deserve severe consequences and certainly shouldn’t be put in positions of even greater authority.
The Utah Sentencing Commission released their new Adult Sentencing, Release, and Supervision Guidelines for 2023. Here are the top three changes to this edition of the Guidelines.
Determining what behavior is criminal and what punishments are attached is a core function of government. Ultimately, elected and accountable legislators should be determining what sentences the state doles out.
