1. (1) The department shall maintain and operate secure correctional facilities for the incarceration of offenders.
2. (2) For each compound of secure correctional facilities, as established by the executive director, wardens shall be appointed as the chief administrative officers by the executive director.
3. (3) The department may transfer offenders from one correctional facility to another and may, with the consent of the sheriff, transfer any offender to a county jail.
4. (4) Where new or modified facilities are designed appropriately, the department may implement an evidence-based direct supervision system in accordance with Subsection (5).

5. (5) If the department chooses to implement a direct supervision system in accordance with Subsection (4), the direct supervision system shall:

   1. (a) meet the goals of:

      1. (i) reducing offender violence;
      2. (ii) enhancing offenders' participation in treatment, program, and work opportunities;
      3. (iii) managing and reducing offender risk;
      4. (iv) promoting pro-social offender behaviors;

      5. (v) providing a tiered-housing structure that:

         1. (A) rewards an offender's pro-social behaviors and progress toward the completion requirements of the offender's individual case action plan with less restrictive housing and increased privileges; and
         2. (B) houses similarly behaving offenders together; and
      6. (vi) reducing departmental costs; and

   2. (b) include the following elements:

      1. (i) department staff will interact continuously with offenders to actively manage offenders' behavior and to identify problems at early stages;
      2. (ii) department staff will use management techniques designed to prevent and discourage negative offender behavior and encourage positive offender behavior;
      3. (iii) department staff will establish and maintain a professional supervisory relationship with offenders; and
      4. (iv) barriers separating department staff and offenders shall be removed.

Amended by Chapter 243, 2026 General Session