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Utah County presents UCAP pilot results showing large reductions in arrests and convictions
Summary
Utah County presented preliminary results from its 18-month Utah County Alternative Probation (UCAP) pilot, reporting 102 active participants and large reductions in arrests and convictions compared with a control group; commissioners praised outcomes and noted capacity and eligibility limits as the pilot nears its two-year mark.
Utah County officials on the commission agenda on Oct. 5 highlighted early outcomes from the county—s 18-month Utah County Alternative Probation (UCAP) pilot, saying the program has produced substantial reductions in new arrests and convictions for participants compared with a control group.
UCAP deputies and program staff told commissioners the pilot uses validated risk-and-need assessments and evidence-based practices including motivational interviewing. "We've become certified through a company called LSCMI," a presenter said, describing in-house risk-need evaluations used to match participants to services. Presenters also said the program partners with county substance-abuse and mental-health units, the prosecutor's office and public defenders.
Program staff reported enrollment and outcome figures during the work session: "102 currently active participants," "35" (context in the record was unclear), "16 successfully completed" the program, "74 refused" to join when offered, and seven on the waiting list. For the tracked cohort (49 participants as of June) presenters said there were five arrests and four convictions versus a control group that recorded 60 arrests and 27 convictions. Presenters summarized those findings as "a 91% reduction in arrests and an 84% reduction in convictions" for the tracked participants compared with the control sample.
Presenters cautioned that some measures (notably arrests outside Utah County) can take time to appear in statewide and national databases and that the program currently accepts only residents of Utah County. They also said strict eligibility rules (drug offenses only; certain criminal-history restrictions) and limited staffing have intentionally constrained capacity to avoid creating an unmanageable waiting list.
Commissioners praised the work and asked about data tracking for arrests occurring outside the county. A presenter said convictions are generally easier to verify statewide and nationally, while arrest records can lag. The commission noted the pilot is approaching the end of a two-year test period; staff said department administrators are preparing proposals for next steps and possible expansion if capacity allows.
The work session closed with commissioners thanking UCAP staff; no formal policy vote on program continuation was recorded during the meeting.
