SALT LAKE CITY — The Sutherland Institute launched a new national campaign Thursday aiming to promote family values in government on a local, state and federal level.

“While we typically look at the family as a social engine, we should also look at the family as an economic engine,” said Boyd Matheson, president of Sutherland Institute. "Strong families aren’t just a good thing for our country, they are everything.”

The think tank partnered with the American Conservative Union Foundation to measure the correlation between strong families and economic prosperity through several different indexes.

Their findings have been presented to several lawmakers, including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, as well as Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams.

“It's designed to get the attention of lawmakers, business leaders, community leaders to make sure that they really take into consideration the impact of families,” Matheson said. "I think the most important thing for the campaign is to raise an awareness with people.”

The campaign applies to several different areas of public policy, but Matheson said criminal justice is one of the most important areas, because families are affected when their loved one is taken into the criminal justice system, especially if they spend long periods of time incarcerated.

Matheson said the campaign aims to promote "the overall impact of having this person in the criminal justice system," and aims to speak against mandatory sentences for first-time nonviolent offenders.

“I think that’s one interesting area,” he said.

Findings from the study, as well as more information about the campaign can be found at sutherlandinstitute.org/familyprosperity.