Scott McAlister, the controversial and embattled inspector general for the Utah Department of Corrections, has tendered his resignation after almost one year of increasing public criticism and scrutiny of the department.
A written statement issued from the department Tuesday said Mc-Alister "expressed a weariness with what he calls continuous unfounded complaints and rumors about his performance, management of the inspector general's office and sexual harassment."The statement did not elaborate on the complaints.
But McAlister cited as reason for the resignation the achievement of short-term goals he apparently set last January when he took his "high-profile and often controversial media image and presentation," the statement said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah has bombarded the department with lawsuits and public statements about the alleged abuse of prison inmates' legal rights. The ACLU recently named McAlister in a letter requesting a Salt Lake County grand jury probe into state corrections.
It accused McAlister of abuse of authority, conflicts of interest and official misconduct. The letter specifically mentioned an alleged "whitewash" by McAlister of a prison guard being fired after sexually assaulting an inmate. The story didn't become public until the inmate filed suit.
The ACLU had also complained of a conflict of interest because McAlister was responsible for reviewing inmate grievances, while at the same time was an assistant attorney general defending the state against inmate complaints.
The Attorney General announced in October, however, that McAlister's services were not needed any longer.
The latest blow to corrections in Utah was the assignment of the State Legislative Auditor General to examine corrections in light of the ACLU complaints.
Corrections chief Gary DeLand didn't have any comment about McAlister's resignation. However, he did ask him to continue until mid-January to help the state attorney general prepare for a federal lawsuit brought by the ACLU over the department's policy of double-bunking inmates.