Lawmakers Call for House Cleaning in Dept. of Corrections

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) The Utah Senate is set to confirm a new director for the Department of Corrections this week. In a confirmation hearing yesterday, lawmakers made it clear they expect big changes in the agency that oversees the prison system. KCPW's Julie Rose reports:

Utah lawmakers are calling on the new director of the Department of Corrections to root out corruption and mismanagement, even if it means quote "ruining some lives." Tom Patterson says he's up to the challenge, and has already begun house cleaning among the ranks of long-time Corrections staffers.

A committee of state senators told Patterson yesterday during a confirmation hearing to pull no punches in cleaning up troubles detailed in a scathing audit. Senator Chris Buttars requested the audit and says he'll request another in one year to make sure Patterson has succeeded in his clean up. The full Senate is expected to make Patterson's appointment official later this week.

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