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Gov. Herbert tours juvenile detention facility and talks with offenders on their progress

Posted at 12:48 PM, Jan 15, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-15 14:48:57-05

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Governor Gary Herbert visited Decker Lake Youth Center in West Valley City Wednesday, and he met with some of the juveniles offenders who are incarcerated there.

"We recognize that sometimes our young people get off on the wrong foot, going down the wrong pathway. We have an opportunity to help them and correct that," Herbert said.

Gov. Herbert has a team of people who give him guidance on Utah's juvenile justice system, but he heard directly from some of those juveniles Wednesday.

Recently, Utah's juvenile justice system has seen a 31% reduction in the risk of recidivism for youth in long-term care settings, 82% of youth reducing their risk, 50% fewer assaults with injuries over months and a 26% increase in family satisfaction, according to a news release from Utah Human Services.