Audit finds overcrowding at Salt Lake County Jail increases recidivism

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Audit reveals overcrowding at Salt Lake County Jail increases recidivism rates.

Released inmates due to overcrowding are twice as likely to reoffend, report shows.

Salt Lake County plans to address jail capacity issues through funding and expansion efforts.

SALT LAKE CITY — Persistent issues with overcrowding at the Salt Lake County Jail have led to increased recidivism rates and, in some cases, more severe offenses, according to a new legislative audit.

Inmates released due to overcrowding at jails in the state's most populous county are more than twice as likely to reoffend as those released through other methods, according to a report released Tuesday by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General. That same group was more likely to