Death penalty is unfair, costly and an ineffective deterrent
The following op-ed by our policy analyst, Josh Daniels, was published today in the Salt Lake Tribune. Earlier this year, the state of Utah was widely mocked for considering the re-authorization of firing squads as a form of...
Federal Judge Who Sentenced Utah Man to 55 Years in Prison for Dealing Marijuana Calls the Punishment “Irrational”
Editor’s note: The following is a lightly edited interview with Paul Cassell, a former federal judge in Utah who now teaches law at the University of Utah. This interview discusses one of his rulings, imposing a 55-year...
Got a Traffic Ticket? Now You’re Much Less Likely to Land in Jail
We have written previously about Utah’s voluminous laws and are pleased to report that after this session, the number of criminal offenses has been reduced significantly due to the comprehensive criminal justice reform effort....
Utah Drug War Reined in by Reduced Penalty Enhancements
We have written previously regarding the recently successful legislative effort to reform Utah’s criminal justice system in Utah. While several aspects received more attention than others—including lowering certain drug...
HB348: Widespread Criminal Justice Reform in Utah
This bill passed the House 72-3 and passed the Senate unanimously. It was subsequently signed into law by Governor Herbert. Libertas Institute supports this bill. Following town hall meetings, research, and significant...
The 2015 Real State of the State
Earlier this week, Governor Gary Herbert addressed government officials and members of the public to deliver his annual “State of the State” address. He touched on education, Medicaid expansion, criminal justice...