Glossary of Terms
A
Adult Probation & Parole (AP&P) - A state agency that provides community-based supervision provided by a state agency for individuals on probation and/or parole.
Aggregate - A calculation of all offenses committed to prison under Board jurisdiction.
Aggravating Factors - Circumstances that may contribute negatively to a release decision (see Mitigating Factors)
B
Board Order - An official decision made by the Board and posted on the Board’s website.
Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) - Agency responsible for entering, updating, and maintaining criminal history data for all arrests and the outcome of the arrests. Is also responsible for determining expungement eligibility.
C
Case Action Plan (CAP) - A plan for individuals while incarcerated and on community-based supervision, based on various assessments, that outlines an individual’s education, program, and treatment needs and to set goals to address areas of risk and need
Civil Judgment - An order by the Court or Board to require restitution be paid to a victim
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Behavioral treatment/therapy that focuses on identified criminal risk factors and thought processes as well as skill practice in order to reduce risk.
Community Correctional Center (CCC) - Facilities operated by the Utah Department of Corrections designed to help individuals who may not have a place to go upon release from prison or who have been ordered to complete specific programs at the facility
Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) - The state government body established to develop criminal and juvenile justice policy in Utah.
Compassionate Release - A Board order to release an individual from prison based on an exceptional circumstance, including:
- The death of an immediate family member that occurs within 120 days of the scheduled release,
- The incarcerated individual's need for extensive medical attention, nursing home care, or palliative care, or
- If the incarcerated individual's public safety and recidivism risk is significantly reduced due to the effects or symptoms of advanced age, medical infirmity, disease or disability (Utah Administration Rule R671-314).
Concurrent - Two or more sentences that are served at the same time.
Consecutive - Two or more sentences that are served one after the other.
Credit for Time Served (CTS) - he amount of time served in custody prior to commitment to prison.
Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF) - A Utah Department of Corrections prison located in Gunnison, Utah.
Commutation Hearing - A hearing held to review a request to change or reduce the severity of a crime, to change or reduce an imposed sentence, or to change or reduce the type and level of offense.
Commitment - A sentence imposed by the Court for a criminal conviction that results in a prison term and Board jurisdiction.
Contingencies - A requirement set by the Board for an individual to complete prior to their release from imprisonment.
E
Earned Time Credit (mandatory and discretionary) - A process by which an individual’s release date may be adjusted up to 4 months earlier for completion of an approved program.
Evidentiary Hearing - When a parolee has entered a denial to a parole violation allegation and the Board wishes to consider the allegation, the Board shall hold a hearing. The Department of Corrections bears the burden of establishing a parole violation by a preponderance of the evidence.
G
Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) - Utah law that provides the public with the right to access certain records prepared, maintained or controlled by a government entity.
Guideline Date - The date established as the presumptive time to be served for offenses for which an individual has been sentenced to prison. (See Utah Sentencing Commission)
Guilty but Mentally Ill (GMI) - This is a special type of guilty plea that indicates that the individual was found guilty of the crime but was mentally ill at the time and may still be mentally ill. (Utah Code § 76-2-3)
H
Hearing Officer (HO) - Board staff members who are assigned to conduct hearings and provide reports to the Board.
J
Judgment and Commitment (J&C) - The document containing the official sentence imposed by the court.
Jurisdiction - Cases over which the Board has authority.
L
Law Enforcement Bureau (LEB) - A division of the Utah Department of Corrections responsible for conducting criminal/administrative investigations.
Level of Service - Risk, Need, Responsivity (LS-RNR) - A risk assessment tool combined with a survey of needs used for development of a case action plan. (See case action plan).
M
Mental Health Support Services (MHSS) - Utah Department of Corrections community based mental health support program.
Mitigating Factors - Circumstances that may contribute positively to a release decision (see Aggravating Factors)
Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) - A type of behavioral therapy aimed at reducing risk of criminal recidivism.
O
Original Hearing (OH) - A hearing before the Board to determine whether a release will be granted prior to the end of an individual’s sentence.
Office of State Debt Collection (OSDC) - A state agency that manages the collection and distribution of monies owed in a criminal case.
P
Pardons Hearing - A hearing granted by the Board where a pardon (an act of grace that forgives a criminal conviction and restores the rights and privileges forfeited because of the criminal conviction) is considered..
Parole - State supervision for individuals who have been released to the community prior to the end of an individual’s sentence.
Paper Review - A review scheduled when the Board needs to gather additional information before making a decision.
Public Defender Fee (PDF) - A fee imposed by the court associated with the services of a court appointed attorney.
Pre-Sentence Investigation/Pre-Sentence Report (PSI/PSR) - A report prepared for the court or the Board that contains information about an individual convicted of a crime, the facts of the crime, and the impact to the victim.
Parole Revocation - The process by which an individual may be returned to prison for violating the terms and conditions of their parole.
Parole Violation Hearing (PV) - A hearing held after an individual is returned to prison to determine if they have violated the terms or conditions of their parole.
Parole Violation/Original Hearing (PV/OH) - A hearing held to address parole violations along with new commitments which the Board has jurisdiction over. Guidelines will be based on the new offense not on the parole violation cap.
Parole Violator Program (PVP) - A program designed to assist individuals who are in violation of their parole to return to compliance without returning to prison.
R
Recidivism - When an individual involved in the criminal justice system reoffends. This can be defined in different ways depending on the context.
Redetermination Review - A request submitted to the Board to reconsider a previous decision or request a review by the Board while incarcerated. (Utah Administration Rule R671-316)
Response Incentive Matrix (RIM) - A tool used by the Board and AP&P to determine an appropriate response to positive or negative behavior while under supervision.
Residential Substance Use Treatment (RSUT) - Institutional or community programming to address substance use.
Restitution - Compensation the court or Board requires individuals to pay to victims of crime.
Rehearing (RH) - A hearing held by the Board after a previous hearing.
Rehearing/Original Hearing (RH/OH) - A hearing held to address any new case(s).
Rescission Hearing - A hearing held after a release date has been taken away by the Board for violations of prison regulations, new criminal convictions, or other issues.
Rescission/Bed Space Hearing - A hearing held after a release date has been taken away by the Board for lack of bed space at a community correctional center or an approved address.
Rescission/Original Hearing - A hearing held after a release date has been taken away by the Board and now the individual has a new prison commitment.
S
Scheduling Review - A review of the incarcerated individual’s information used to determine when the original hearing will be tentatively set.
Sentence - The sanction imposed by a court on a person who has been convicted of a crime.
Sentencing Guidelines - An average recommended sentence length based on current convictions and criminal history created by the Utah Sentencing Commission.
Smart Scheduling - The scheduling of original hearings by taking into account the individual’s needs for treatment and their guideline date.
Special Attention - Reviews or hearings to adjust parole conditions, review earlier Board decisions, and change earlier decisions when exceptional circumstances exist.
Sex Offender Registry (SOR) - The agency responsible for maintaining and updating sex offender registration files operated by the Department of Public Safety.
Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP) - Institutional or community programming to address sexual offending.
Substance Use Treatment (SUT) - Institutional or community programming to address substance use.
T
Tentative Hearing Date - The month and year a hearing date is estimated to be scheduled.
Termination of Inmate/Parole Sentence - A date provided for the termination of incarceration or parole supervision by the Board.
Termination Request - A report received from Adult Probation and Parole informing the Board that a termination date is approaching or that the individual has done well on parole and is being recommended to be terminated.
U
Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) - State agency tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the individuals on probation, parole, or incarcerated in prison.
Utah Office for Victims of Crime (UOVC) - Provides financial compensation for victims of crime.
Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) - A Utah Department of Corrections prison located in Salt Lake City, Utah.
V
Victim Notification - A process in which crime victims are notified of scheduled Board hearings.