Federal Judge Who Sentenced Utah Man to 55 Years in Prison for Dealing Marijuana Calls the Punishment “Irrational”
Editor’s note: The following is a lightly edited interview with Paul Cassell, a former federal judge in Utah who now teaches law at the University of Utah. This interview discusses one of his rulings, imposing a 55-year...
HB348: Widespread Criminal Justice Reform in Utah
This bill passed the House 72-3 and passed the Senate unanimously. It was subsequently signed into law by Governor Herbert. Libertas Institute supports this bill. Following town hall meetings, research, and significant...
Drug Penalty Reform Coming to Utah
“Don’t do drugs, because if you do drugs you’ll go to prison… and drugs are really expensive in prison.” This humorous quote underscores the fundamental problem with imprisoning people with a substance addiction...
Criminal Justice Reform Coming to Utah
In his 2014 State of the State Address, Utah Governor Gary Herbert said: Addressing population growth also involves improving our criminal justice system and providing structure for individuals to become productive members of...
The Absolute Madness of Mandatory Minimums
Weldon Angelos was a Salt Lake City resident who grew up in poverty and struggled to find his way early in life. The son of a Greek immigrant, his family’s financial condition left him wanting much as a child. He found some...