A plurality of Utah County residents believe local judges are not tough enough on criminals and most would be willing to pay higher taxes to house more criminals in jail, according to a Deseret News poll conducted by Dan Jones and Associates.
Sometime during the next year, county officials plan to hold a special bond election to solve overcrowding problems at the Utah County Jail. The county is deciding whether to ask residents to approve bonding for a new jail or bonding to expand the existing jail.According to the Jones poll, bonding to expand the existing jail has a better chance of passing. Of 402 Utah County residents polled, 40 percent said they would pay higher taxes to expand the jail, while 13 percent said they would pay higher taxes to build a new jail. Only 27 percent favor something other than a larger jail facility.
The poll was conducted Nov. 13-15 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.
Jail officials are glad that residents recognize the county's need for more jail space, but don't think residents understand the magnitude of the problem. The Utah County Jail Advisory Committee reported the county needs a jail with 298 beds, with the capability of expanding to about 600 beds.
"Expanding the existing facility has limitations," said Lt. Owen Quarnberg, corrections bureau chief. "We can expand this jail to meet our needs for about 10 years, but we probably can't go beyond that point. I'm afraid if that's the direction we choose, we're going to be looking at the same problem down the road that we have now."
However, because a general obligation bond would save the county several hundred thousand dollars, the project that has the best chance of passing may be the one on the ballot. County officials estimate it would cost about $16 million to expand the existing jail and about $20 million to build a new one.
The desire for an expanded jail may be related to residents' desire for judges to be tougher on criminals. Forty-four percent of those polled said local judges need to be tougher in their sentencing, while 34 percent said local sentencing is about right. Only 3 percent said judges are too tough.
In many parts of the country, and in some parts of Utah, judges have been told not to impose jail sentences for certain crimes because of limited jail space. However, local judges currently have no space-related restrictions. Judges say they hope it never gets to that point, because using available space as a factor in sentencing would be unworkable.
"If I had to do that then I'd have to have a computer in front of me telling me how many people are in jail that day and when they are going to be released," said 4th Circuit Judge Lynn W. Davis.
In sentencing, judges attempt to be impartial in considering a defendant's criminal history, how likely he or she is to commit more crimes, and the victim's desires. The type of crime and legislative mandates pertaining to the crime also are considered.
"There are days on the bench when we are the students as we witness human struggles poignantly unfolding," Davis said.
One reason for people saying judges are not tough enough may be because judges' and society's philosophy of a judge's role differ, Davis said. Many believe the purpose of sentencing is to protect society, to punish and to deter others from committing crimes. Others believe the purpose of the justice system is rehabilitation, and incarceration should be the last resort.
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DESERET NEWS POLL
How would you rate judges in Utah County on their treatment of criminals?
Too Tough 3%
About Right 34%
Not Tough Enough 44%
Don't Know 18
With regard to overcrowded jails, which of the following alternatives would you favor?
Raise county taxes to build a larger jail 13%
Raise county taxes to expanding the existing jail 40%
Reducing the number of convicts sent to jail. 12%
Other 15%
Don't know 20%