Utah and Arizona Issue Updated Guide On Polygamous Communities

The Utah and Arizona Attorneys General have released a revised edition of The Primer, a guide designed to assist law enforcement and human services agencies that provide assistance to fundamentalist Mormon families. It provides basic information on more than a dozen polygamous communities, using description mostly prepared by the groups themselves. Yesterday's Salt Lake Tribune says that this version of the guide has a neutral tone that no longer suggests that fundamentalist Mormons are "victims" of groups that experience more domestic violence or abuse than others. The Primer also describes the Safety Net Committee that was formed in 2003 by Utah and Arizona to bring together government agencies and nonprofits that are working to give people from polygamous communities equal access to justice, safety and services.