These are notes I’ve taken of a town hall by David Leavitt. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker. This is a submission to the caucus corner.

Legislate have taken away the citizen’s ability to accuse others of a crime. Accusations are sent to the county attorney.

Reduce the number of those crimes that don’t hurt people.

What does society need to so to protect against different crimes that occur?

He wants to save the focus on crimes. Will people be better after being involved with the justice system or worse?

Want to improve the Utah judicial system. 26 county attorneys need support from the state attorney general. He has tried to establish contact with Sean Reyes the current state attorney. He has not responded.

If the police monitored all drivers on I-15, they would likely find over 90% of people driving over a mile over the speed limit. They have to determine those who are the most threat.

-a husband who owes 10K of child support is a 3rd-degree penalty. One story of a mother has to work at night to support three kids. He tried to work with other sections of the judicial system. he wanted to get fathers who don’t pay their children’s support. I didn’t get much cooperation.

Don’t have a problem with getting more legal help for inmates in jail.

He supports a statewide defense system (appointed by Supreme Court or Goerner). It would then be confirmed by the senate. Public defense is set at the state level.

Q: the pandemic has affected “early release” from incarceration, and there was a report of a repeat offender who was released committing a pretty terrifying offense(s) just after release; I don’t have a law background but wonder what your thoughts are in the light of “keeping the public safe” having terms adjusted due to “health risks” in the public?

Report I referred to: https://www.ksl.com/article/46733772/parolee-released-early-due-to-covid-19-breaks-into-house-threatens-woman-with-knife-police-say

A: If someone is not dangerous to open to them get an early release if they can support their family. If criminals are a threat to society than no early release is permitted. He instructed staff if any criminals have any hint of violence we are against their release. Spend $15 million a year holding criminals. 80 are non-violent. We need to find the balance by not terrorizing people. Need to decide on a person to person basis. We don’t have the resources for more and more people. The US has the highest rate of imprisoning people in the world.

Q: I have not heard from, or read any support from the law enforcement community for your disbanding the Special Victims Unit in the County. Do you think that perhaps it wasn’t the best idea in retrospect?

A: Sexual abuse of children can be considered worse than murder. Such abuse influences generations. Utah County had special victims of six members. Because of the emotional stress on the staff, members rotated about 2-3 years.
Past members of the staff are still involved in counseling due to what they had to experience. Special victims would work independently from the other departments. They worked in separate rules. As the county attorney, he found out that about 300 accounts were unscreened. They were not being prosecuted. Changed has things were handled. They disbanded the unit so that they have to work under the same rules.
He updated from 6 to 9 who are trained with special victims. He had those 9 training the fellow lawyers in their department. Both the attorney general and special victims care about the victims of sexual abuse. Many special victim staff had special status removed. He made changes to address the 300 cases that were not looked at. And it will preserve the emotional state of the staff who handled rape victims. Changed how the prosecutors handle special cases. The new procedures have not changed on how the victims are handled.

Q: You have added is it 15 more prosecutors to your office? Why have you done that? What is its purpose?

A: The US bar systems recommend that prosecutors not have more than 100. Utah county prosecutors had about 275 cases in the year. David sent his concerns to Utah county account to address the overwork.
County increased 25% of the budget to get more prosecutors. Before David became the country attorney a case would come in. One lawyer would determine how a case would be prosecuted. The layer would determine how crime would be done. Will take 7 of the most experienced lawyers. One lawyer will present a case to the other six and vote on how that crime should be addressed. It will be voted on how crime will be addressed.

Q: A small group is suing the county and a private company over not following a conditional use permit CUP. The legal system seems to be flawed and slow. It seems more like a game where the lawyers get rich and there is no justice. What can be done to speed up the flawed system and games that are played by lawyers?

A: We need to understand more about our obligation to society. We at citizens need to care about our obligations to society rather than our rights to society. We need to regulate ourselves.

Q: What is the status of the program for volunteers. Citizens would provide a support system for criminals. People would adapt and mentor non-violent offenders?

If he stays as the country attorney will move that effort forward. As state attorney general will try to implement it at the state level. There are 83 probation officers in an effort to involved citizens in a mentoring program. 83 said they need to involve lawyers. They are worried about potential negative events related to the program. They are worried about change.

Q: In her job misuse of funds of a 501C business. Saw more misuse of funds. Put a hold on the Velma account. Address the board of misuse of funds. Sent articles to members of the board of the possible consequences of white collar crime. The board did not want the president to resign even after some misuse of funds? The board asked the person to share the finance misconduct to resign.

A: David will forward the questionnaires’ email to prosecutors to the dept. that handles white color crime. Demand restitution.

Q: What new ideas at the state level that is not already discussed.

A: 67% of lands of Utah are owned by the federal government. From private citizens, the state collects $2.5 billion property tax. Federal lands pay pilt (payment in lew of cash) at much lower amounts.
I want to take on the Federal government and strengthen our state’s power. pilt (“PILT payments help local governments carry out such vital services as firefighting and police protection, construction of public schools and roads, and search-and-rescue operations. The payments are made annually for tax-exempt Federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (all bureaus of the Department of the Interior [DOI]), and the U.S. Forest Service)

David is facing a candidate who is running for his third term. He has special interest groups to support him. Levitt is running a grass-roots campaign compared to his competitors’ funding. we are in a crisis in Utah in regards to our criminal justice system. We need to reduce our crime and find different solutions for punishment. if you can feel the urgency on this issue then he asks for your support. I need your support at the state convention. Please like or share my social media information.