Prisons prepare for cuts


Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 3:51 PM MDT


PHOENIX (AP) — Budget cuts ranging from $40 million to possibly more than $185 million in the state prison system will likely lead to fewer inmates, corrections officers and prison programs, officials said.


The Arizona Department of Corrections houses more than 30,000 inmates in state-owned facilities and another 8,000 in private facilities.

Corrections officials predict the state’s prison population will reach more than 38,000 by the end of 2011.

Keeping an adequate number of corrections officers has been an ongoing struggle for the state.

“From my perspective, the Department of Corrections is a public-safety agency charged with maintaining effective custody and control of just under 40,000 prisoners,” said Corrections Director Charles Ryan. “We are able to do this through our inmate-classification system, our physical plants and, most importantly, our correctional staff. We cannot do this without a well-trained staff.”

Eliminating inmate programs may include a special treatment for sex offenders and a work-based education program, which serves more than 2,000 inmates per day.

The state may also reduce or remove incentives for officers including eliminating uniform allowances and retention bonuses.

Charging inmates Medicaid rates for medical care could save the state up to $28 million.

And releasing 3,000 to 9,500 inmates from state custody and placing them into some combination of county custody, house arrest or community supervision is under consideration said Cecil Ash, a former public defender and first-term representative from Mesa.

Releasing nonviolent inmates early may require lawmakers to rewrite the state’s criminal code, officials said.

Ash stressed that nobody wants to release prisoners who are violent or who pose a threat to the public. “But there are a lot of people in prison, I’m afraid, that shouldn’t be there,” Ash said. “It’s not worth the cost to the state because they’re not that severe a threat to the public.

 

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Comments

    Brenda wrote on Apr 24, 2009 12:11 PM:

    " DOC has a lot of positions that are not necesary, the State should start by cutting those jobs..Deputy Wardens???!!! "

    Becky wrote on Apr 21, 2009 2:04 PM:

    " What Ash means by "there are a lot of people in prison that shouldn’t be there"is that the sentencing guidelines in this state are ridiculous. We're locking up non-violent, first-time drug offenders that should just be on community supervision. They aren't a threat to the public - most of them aren't even dealers, they're just users. Why should the tax payers have to pay $40,000/year to warehouse these guys, while the majority of their families are forced to use state aid while they're locked up??? GET THEM OUT OF THERE. Put them on community supervision, community service, etc. Let them support their families and pay their taxes instead of us supporting them to sit around in the worthless "corrections" department. There's NO corrections going on in there! It's just a waste of money! "

    Anne wrote on Apr 18, 2009 5:05 PM:

    " Why doesn't the State ask for early retirement for those approching 20yrs with the ADOC? It would save them money and give them the opportunity to hire newly trained officers without the incentives or higher pay of seasoned officers. "

    Maria M wrote on Apr 16, 2009 9:33 PM:

    " I feel that an inmate is a threat to the public, especially doing their illegal things and breaking the law.Setting the wrong example to young people. Inmates did get prison time for a reason, they just didn't volenteer to go do time. And as far as being there as a corrections officer, inmates still get taken care of more than their own staff in D.O.C....What it all comes down to is, staying employed in D.O.C, it's not how well you are trained or what you know...it's who you know "

    DHS Grad wrote on Apr 16, 2009 5:41 PM:

    " Wouldn't it be nice if we spent our funds on education and rehabilitation rather than a depravation and revenge-based system? The prisons have too many people because certain demographics (mostly due to income) end up on the wrong side of the law and have little resource to fight the system. Furthermore, if you're in once you're likely to be locked up again. Fund the schools to impart social aptitude and employability skills on our citizens. Rehabilitate those who are imprisoned (why is someone released who is not trusted in society and has to be publicly announced as a sex offender?). That's where the funding fight should begin and end. "

    unanimous wrote on Apr 16, 2009 12:17 PM:

    " Unfortunately many are in prison because they had no money to hire a good lawyer and as we all know the public defenders do as little as possible to defend these innocent people. "

    C.O.D. wrote on Apr 15, 2009 9:52 PM:

    " Mr Ash, you state that theres alot of people that should not be in prison.How did they get in there, they just walked in???? no they broked the law!!! turn them loose in your town. "

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