The Salt Lake County District Attorney and defense lawyers on Tuesday announced plans to lessen the penalties for more than 12,000 people convicted of drug offenses over a span of 18 years.
The purpose is to give those offenders an easier opportunity to expunge their records, according to documents released Tuesday by Salt Lake County Attorney Sim Gill. The greatest benefit could be to people convicted of felony drug crimes in Salt Lake County between 1997 and 2015. Their crimes could be reduced to misdemeanors, making them eligible for a variety of government benefits as well as certain housing and jobs.