Sara Wolovick

The Project

Sara will advocate for humane conditions and accountability in Utah’s jails to protect incarcerated individuals from constitutional violations and medical neglect.

In 2014, Utah had the highest per capita jail death rate in the country. Individuals held in Utah jails and prisons have died of neglect, desperately seeking medical care. Others have been abused, kept in solitary confinement for weeks or months, and denied access to legal materials and the courts. Individuals incarcerated in rural jails are isolated from legal services, and mentally ill and disabled inmates are particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect. These inhumane conditions have persisted because there are no statewide enforceable jail standards and inadequate accountability mechanisms.

Sara has been dedicated to serving in Utah since she moved to Salt Lake City to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA. Her law school internship with the ACLU of Utah exposed her to the injustices and abuses within Utah’s jail system, and she is proud to continue working on conditions of confinement and dedicate herself to advocating for Utahns’ civil rights.

Fellowship Plans

Sara will gather data on jail conditions across Utah to provide comprehensive information on Utah’s jails. She will use this information to educate the public on jail conditions and strengthen her lobby efforts. At the same time, she will build a coalition with local government officials, state legislators, grassroots activists, and other advocates to lobby for improvements in Utah’s jails and prisons, including statewide enforceable jail standards and an independent commission to ensure compliance and accountability.

Media