After years of fighting to keep them private, the association representing Utah’s county sheriffs released hundreds of jail standards for public view.
The late-January release moved Utah closer in line with states that give the public a glimpse of instructions jailers follow when holding inmates who either are serving short-term sentences or have been arrested but not yet tried.
The standards make clear, say some sheriffs and a handful of attorneys representing inmates who died in custody, the paramount importance of strong policies that jail employees are required to follow and the inspections that monitor compliance — both of which remain hidden from public view.