Department Of Justice Gives Grant To Utah To Support Substance Abuse Treatment For Prisoners

            SALT LAKE CITY – The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded a $72,125 grant to the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice to support substance abuse treatment programs for prisoners.

            The funding comes from the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program.  This program assists states and local governments in developing and implementing substance abuse treatment programs in state and local correctional and detention facilities and to create and maintain community-based aftercare services for offenders.  The goal of the program is to break the cycle of drugs and violence by reducing the demand for, use, and trafficking of illegal drugs.

            According to grant documents, Utah will use the funds to implement up to three types of programs, including residential, jail-based, and aftercare.  At least 10 percent of the total state allocation this year will be made available to local correctional and detention facilities.