But Blanchard said he won't miss the weighty decisions he and other board members are forced to make almost daily. The Board of Pardons is charged with reviewing inmates in the state's two prisons. The hearings before the board are often fraught with emotion and pleas from victims to keep inmates locked up.

"It's a heavier job than virtually anyone realizes," says Blanchard's wife, Laura, who often sees the piles of homework her husband has.

Blanchard said he still believes inmates must have an opportunity to improve themselves. "We know that a certain percentage of these (inmates) are going to fail," he said. "But I absolutely believe people can change."

The state is now seeking applicants for Blanchard's post as a board member. The position is posted on the Web site of the Department of Human Resources Management and pays between $66,000 and $90,000 a year. Anyone who applied for the job when Sibbett stepped down won't have to submit the same paperwork again but may contact the commission directly to indicate interest, said Tom Patterson, director of the Utah Sentencing Commission. His office is a partner group with the state's Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, which will narrow down the candidate list.

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E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com