Arizona is making headlines for its draconian budget cuts. State per-pupil spending is among the lowest in the nation. Arizona is the only state to toss poor people off of welfare assistance after just 12 months. College students are facing rising tuition costs and years of debt. Meanwhile, […]
IMMEDIATE Action needed! Tell the Department of Corrections and Governor Ducey NO MORE PRISON BEDS! The Arizona Department of Corrections has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for up to 2,000 more prison beds to be contracted out, most likely to a for-profit corporation. The contract will be […]
SB1390 would release more people into the Transition Program, which provides 90 days of behavioral health programming and reentry assistance to non-violent offenders. The program has existed since 2003 and has a proven track record of success in reducing recidivism. Eligible individuals are released from prison 90 days […]
Thanks to everyone who responded to our 11th hour action alert yesterday. Unfortunately, House Appropriations passed the bill 8-5 on a party-line vote. However, we are hearing that there are many Republicans who are still unhappy with the budget and are delaying its passage. This buys us a […]
The budget bill released yesterday would require the Department of Corrections to award a contract for 1,000 medium security prison beds to open on July 1, 2016, to be expanded to 2,000 beds (total) in subsequent years, with legislative approval. Corrections is already the third largest state agency […]
Senator Steve Pierce has introduced a bill that would require the Department of Corrections to release more people into the Transition Program, which provides 90 days of behavioral health programming and reentry assistance to non-violent offenders. The program has existed since 2003 and has a proven track record […]
Gov. Ducey’s budget for FY2016 proposes 3,000 new medium-security for-profit prison beds—beds we don’t need. The Governor’s budget estimates that these new beds will cost taxpayers over $100 million over the next three years. Corrections is already the third largest state agency budget, absorbing 11% of General Funds. […]