Utah DOC details in-prison education programs as core to rehabilitation

The Utah Department of Corrections outlined the scope of its educational offerings on an August 2026 podcast, saying the programs are central to rehabilitation and safer communities. Commissioner Jared Garcia said education is a core part of the department's mission: "Yeah, I mean if education's critical to what we do." Commissioner Jared Garcia

Kelsey Crestman, the department's Education Administrator, described a multi-tiered system built around risk-reduction classes, high-school completion and post-secondary partnerships. "Those kind of classes, we have seven different offerings currently that are offered by educators," Crestman said, listing programs that include Covey's Seven Habits, anger management and victim-impact curricula. Kelsey Crestman, Education Administrator

Crestman said the department offers both diploma and GED pathways overseen by the Utah State Board of Education and works with six higher-education institutions to provide certificates, associate degrees and bachelor degrees. She told listeners the system includes more than 20 program options designed to meet different needs, from basic literacy to career training. The department also schedules risk-reduction classes automatically and uses intake assessments to determine higher-education eligibility.

Why it matters: department leaders framed these programs as investments in public safety and re-entry. Garcia said people leave custody and re-enter communities at high rates, and providing education and vocational skills can help them find meaningful employment and reduce the chance of returning to prison. The podcast closed with a reminder that these programs require coordination among educators, custody staff and outside partners to operate safely in secure facilities.