Tough on crime isn’t the same as smart on crime.
We’re Utahns who’ve spent years in the state’s political and legal communities — and we’re using that experience to educate the public on the reforms our criminal justice system badly needs.
- Civil asset forfeiture reform
- Prosecutorial integrity
- Repeal of the death penalty
- Ending over-criminalization
Utah County Settlement for Minors Charged as Adults
If you live in Utah County and were charged as an adult despite being a minor, apply to see if you qualify for assistance.
An additional voice for common-sense reform.
At the Utah Justice Coalition, we understand that it’s important to not only be “tough on crime,” but to be smart on crime. Our organization consists of people who have been actively involved in the political and legal communities in Utah for many years.
Many of the issues we hope to advance in this state have been in the works for several years. There are multiple great organizations here that work tirelessly on these issues — our hope is to be an additional voice in that fight.
We exclusively work to promote common-sense reforms to our justice system, using our experience to educate the public on the reforms Utah desperately needs.
“Our battles can’t be won without your assistance.” Follow our work & get involved — see below
Six reforms we’re focused on.
Our core mission is to reduce incarceration and recidivism. These are the areas we’re working on right now.
Reforming mandatory minimum sentences
Ending over‑criminalization by updating outdated felony & misdemeanor law
Promoting rehabilitation over incarceration
Proper funding for indigent defense
Ending the death penalty
Helping former inmates reintegrate into society
Led by Utahns who’ve done the work.
Darcy Van Orden — Founder & Executive Director
Darcy first took a criminology course as a freshman at Utah State University, where she found her passion for reform work. She later toured a local prison while earning her degree at George Mason University — and changed her position to support repealing the death penalty, understanding how broken and costly the system had become.
She moved her family to Utah in 2009 and became a citizen lobbyist for fiscal accountability, going on to support common-sense criminal justice reforms and champion families affected by the courts and reentry from prison ever since.
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Our battles can’t be won without your assistance. Follow our Facebook as well as this site to stay up to date on our current projects, and to hear about opportunities to get involved.