About this time nine years ago, I thought I had “made it” in life after landing a software sales gig with target earning potential around a quarter million a year. There was one problem; I was addicted to prescription pain killers. I lost that job after just 17 weeks of training and it was ...

It’s been just 18 months since I was released from prison, but it seems so long ago. At the same time, the experience completely changed me. I no longer sweat the small stuff in day-to-day life, but yet I really appreciate all the little things. I can’t think of the last time I was ...

Not too long ago, this newspaper published a response to my article about the HOPE program at the Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF). It was written by none other than the executive director of the Utah State Prison — the guy who runs the whole show and is appointed by the governor. We ...

Making positive changes to the criminal justice system is difficult. It’s not for a lack of good ideas; it’s the systemic failure to implement good ideas and I believe most of this is due to culture.Case and point: I’m going to give you a summary of the policies, personnel and processes ...

I'm officially off parole. Not being able to travel outside the state of Utah without asking permission or not being allowed to set foot in an establishment whose chief item of sale is alcohol was inconvenient, but not really a big deal. The best part about being off parole is no longer having ...

When I was in prison, the idea of parole was quite intimidating. I heard over and over how difficult it was going to be. “Near impossible” to get off parole is a comment I remember. I would have written this hyperbole off if it were not for the fact that many prisoners who had been paroled ...