Salt Lake County Hosts National Criminal Justice Reform Leader Judge Steve Leifman to Shape Local Solutions

WHEN: Monday, December 15, 2025, 3:30 PM 

WHERE: Salt Lake County Government Center, North Building, Media Room, N1-120, 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 

WHO: Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Salt Lake County Council Chair Dea Theodore, and Judge Steve Leifman, president of The Leifman Group  

WHAT: Press conference on next steps for human services, homelessness, and criminal justice system reform following a full day of stakeholder convenings with Judge Steve Leifman and The Leifman Group. 

  

More Information:  

Salt Lake County will convene state leaders, local governments, courts, law enforcement, service providers, and philanthropic partners throughout the day Monday to review preliminary recommendations from Judge Steve Leifman and The Leifman Group. Judge Leifman is a national leader in behavioral health and criminal justice reform, having spent more than two decades helping implement one of the nation’s most successful models for diverting individuals with serious mental illness from the justice system into treatment and recovery in Miami-Dade County.  

These recommendations are part of a multi-year, evidence-based effort to strengthen the region’s response to behavioral health crises, human services, homelessness, and justice system involvement. Monday’s presentation of recommendations follows months of work by the Leifman Group engaging stakeholders across Salt Lake County’s human services, homelessness, and criminal justice systems, including policymakers. 

The 3:30 PM press conference will provide media with an overview of the day’s discussions, key themes emerging from the preliminary recommendations, and next steps toward a coordinated implementation plan expected in early 2026.