New educational texting service offered for families of incarcerated individuals

MURRAY — The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole has started a new way to achieve what it calls "procedural justice"— the idea that the process can be fair and clear for people going through the prison system, as well as their families and loved ones.

This new program now involves text messages that will be sent weekly to inform people about the upcoming parts of the process, including hearings and how parole decisions are made.

Brittany Karzen, the program director for the board, said this was done in an effort to right some wrongs of the board's past.

"We have not done the best job, historically, providing this information as easily as we are now," said Karzen. "Which is why we've spent the last two years working very hard to make sure this information is easily accessible."

Though the board is hoping these 10 text messages will provide clear and necessary information, it wants this program to build on the information it already provides in the Inmate Handbook and Parole Violation Handbook.

Its program also follows similar programs in the process of court and sentencing, involving the pre-sentencing period. Karzen said this program is supposed to continue that already-established protocol of clear information.

"People may not like the decisions we make, but if they know the process and what to expect, then that creates a sense of understanding and fairness," Karzen said.

She explained that the idea of procedural justice has been paramount in creating this program.

"We also want family and friends of individuals who have been sentenced to know they can ask for more information and where to go for that," she said. "We also want them to know that the behavior they show in prison is going to be something that the board considers when they have a hearing."

While the board is committed to making sure this information is clear and accessible to offenders and their families, Karzen also pointed out that it has done just as much work around victims of crimes as well.

"We are continually improving communications and resources [for victims] as well," she said.

People who may need these educational texts can sign up through the board's website. The texts are automatically generated and are not a chat opportunity. Karzen said after signing up, you can expect about 10 messages that describe different parts of the post-sentence procedure.

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