The consultant hired by the Prison Relocation and Development Authority, or PRADA, held an informal meeting at the State Capitol Thursday. At the event, people had a chance to voice their opinions on their master plan for moving the State prison in Draper.
Deborah Reithmuller is the founder of the Utah Prison Support Group. She was one of the few people that showed up to weigh in on why she thinks the State prison should not be moved.
“We don’t want the prison move," she says. "We would rather see a reformation of the sentencing of these offenders. Don’t keep filling it so that you need it to expand, or rebuild, or to move or whatever.”
But others at the meeting talked about the the economic benefits of developing the land where the prison is currently located. While Reithmuller says she understands the financial potential of moving the prison, she hopes PRADA will at least slow down and really think about their decision.
“They need to listen to what the people are saying," she says. "Yes, there are people who want it moved, you know, it will bring businesses. Yeah, it will bring businesses, but you need to think about the nine thousand people who are there who have family members who it’s going to affect.”
PRADA’s consultant, MGT of America, will present their preliminary report on January 31. The final report on the viability of moving the prison and any other alternatives is scheduled to be released in June.
