Current through Bulletin 2024-18, September 15, 2024
(1) It is the
policy of the UDC to permit press access to facilities, inmates, supervised
offenders and information. Access shall be:
(a) consistent with the requirements of the
constitutions and laws of the United States and State of Utah;
(b) at a level no more restrictive than that
allowed the general public.
(2) Access by news media members shall be
restricted:
(a) when the UDC finds it
necessary to further its legitimate governmental interests, or to maintain
safety, security, order, discipline and program goals;
(b) to conform with statutory and
constitutional privacy requirements as interpreted by binding case
precedent;
(c) when information or
access would be contrary to state interests on matters under litigation;
or
(d) to safeguard the privacy
interests of those under the supervision of the UDC.
(3) The UDC shall make all reasonable efforts
to see that the public is kept informed concerning its operations by:
(a) participating and cooperating with the
news media to communicate the UDC's mission, goals, policy, procedures,
operation, and activities;
(b)
providing information in a timely manner, while avoiding disruption or
compromise of the UDC's legitimate interests; and
(c) releasing information in accordance with
the policy, procedures and requirements of law to provide the public with
knowledge about:
(i) UDC philosophy,
operations and activities; and
(ii)
significant issues and problems facing the UDC.
(4) Inmates shall not be denied the
opportunity to communicate with the news media. However, the UDC reserves the
right to regulate the manner in which the communication may occur, including:
(a) defining the channels of communication
and the circumstances of their use; and
(b) temporarily suspending communication
during exigent circumstances including:
(i)
riots;
(ii) hostage
situations;
(iii) fires or other
disasters;
(iv) other inmate
disorders; or
(v) emergency
lock-down conditions.
(5) Because the UDC faces special management
problems with the prison's operation from face-to-face interviews between
inmates and the news media:
(a) news media
members' requests for face-to-face interviews shall be reviewed on a
case-by-case basis by considering the mental competence of the inmate, pending
appeals, safety, security, and management issues of the institution;
(b) requests for face-to-face interviews
shall be submitted to the Public Information Officer; and
(c) interviews which the UDC determines will
jeopardize its legitimate interests, or those of a prison facility, shall not
be approved.
(6) Access
to executions by the news media shall be consistent with the requirements of
Section 77- 19-11, of the Utah Code.
(7) News media members shall obtain
UDC-issued media identification or shall receive special permission for access
to prison property or other UDC Facilities. Special permission may be granted
only by the Public Information Officer or Executive Director.
(8) No equipment shall be taken inside the
facility unless specifically approved by the Public Information Officer, Deputy
Director, or Executive Director. Filming or other recording visits are separate
issues and involve individual consideration and decisions.
(9) Ground rules for each opportunity for
facility access, filming or recording shall be determined prior to
entry.
(10) Access may be
terminated at any time without warning, if:
(a) the conditions, ground rules, or other
regulations are violated by news media members involved in the access
opportunity;
(b) an inmate disorder
or other disruption develops;
(c)
staff members detect problems created by the media visit which threaten
security, safety or order in the facility; or
(d) other reasons related to the legitimate
interests of the UDC are present.
(11) Deliberate violation of regulations or
other serious misconduct during a facility visit:
(a) shall result in the temporary loss of
UDC-issued media identification; and
(b) may result in the permanent loss of
UDC-issued media identification.
