The Utah Department of Corrections is entering a transitional period as we move from the Orijin tablet platform to the Viapath system. 

This transition is designed to improve long-term service reliability, expand programming capabilities, and enhance communication tools for incarcerated individuals. During this period, tablet availability will be temporarily reduced while new tablet systems are installed and activated.

Transition Timeline

Between March 20 – 22 tablet collection will begin in all housing units at USCF and CUCF. The audit will take place beginning March 23, during this time and a limited number (3-4) tablets will be allocated for use in housing sections for commissary, education, and visiting.

UDC will then begin a coordinated redistribution of existing Orijin tablets. This process will allow us to manage a reduced number of licenses while maintaining access to essential services.

Reduced Tablet Inventory (Effective April 1, 2026)
Orijin tablets will temporarily be reduced to 1,936 devices system-wide: 

• 1,500 tablets will be redistributed and dedicated to Higher Education, Risk Reduction, Reentry, and other targeted programming services.
  
• 436 tablets allocated for general communication, commissary, healthcare requests, and law library access.
  

Once ViaPath service agreements are finalized, software implementation will begin, which may take up to 90 days for full integration. As previously noted, each housing unit section will be equipped with 3–4 shared tablets during the transition to support essential services, including commissary orders, electronic health care request forms, and law library access.

Paper copies of health care request forms will continue to be available during this time.

The redistribution of shared tablets for all housing sections and students is expected to be completed by April 2. Tablets designated for visiting with friends, family, DCFS, and attorneys will not be affected during this transition.

Phone & Commissary Access

Access to phone calls and commissary applications on the Orijin tablets will remain available through September 2026. Utah Correctional Industries (UCI) has been notified of the transition. 

Restoration of Individual Tablet Access

The return to all incarcerated individuals having personal tablet access is tied to the Viapath the implementation timeline:

• Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF): Installation and implementation projected between late May and early July 2026.
  
• Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF): Due to legacy infrastructure requiring more extensive upgrades, installation is projected for August or September 2026.
  

Individual tablet access will resume once installation, testing, and system validation are complete at each facility.

Safety, Mitigation and Communication

To ensure stability and reduce disruption during this transition, UDC is implementing the following safeguards:

• Training for staff and incarcerated individuals on the new Viapath system.

• Direct notification to the incarcerated population regarding the temporary reduction in tablets.

• Advance notification to Education, Treatment, Volunteer Services, and programming teams to prepare for scheduled downtime.

• Ongoing monitoring of operational and safety impacts during the interim period.

• Case managers will conduct daily walkthroughs of each housing unit section to ensure continuity of communication can remain. Inmates are also able to submit written requests to case management through housing unit officers as well.

This transition represents a temporary adjustment designed to support long-term improvements in communication, programming delivery, and system reliability. 

UDC remains committed to maintaining access to essential services while implementing infrastructure upgrades that strengthen institutional stability and support Rehabilitation & Reentry outcomes.