In The News… Arizona House approves bill to allow non-violent offenders time off for classes February 19th, 2020 via KVOA News 4 Tucson Local Prisoner Advocacy Organization Launches Statewide Ballot Initiative February 19th, 2020 via Kathleen Kunz, Tucson Weekly House panel OKs bill that would change state’s early […]
Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at AFSC-AZ! Next week will be BIG for sentencing reform in Arizona! On Wednesday, Feb. 19, the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. John Allen, is scheduled to hear HB 2808, sponsored by Rep. Walt Blackman and co-sponsored by a bipartisan coalition of […]
*THIS CONTENT HAS BEEN UPDATED SINCE ITS ORIGINAL PUBLICATION. On 2/6/20, Rep. Walt Blackman introduced his earned release credits (ERC) bill, HB 2808. NOTE: THIS IS ONLY A BILL. IT HAS NOT YET PASSED AND IS NOT A LAW. It still needs to go through a long legislative […]
We’re all waiting for legislation to be filed that would reform Arizona’s ineffectual system of Earned Release Credits (ERC). As you probably know, everyone locked up in Arizona’s state prisons – no matter their conviction, their disciplinary record, or their personal successes while incarcerated – must serve at least 85% of their […]
What a week it was! It began with a raucous, make-your-eardrums-bleed kick in the pants with our KICK OUT THE JAMS FOR JUSTICE! (KOTJ4J) concert at First Church UCC in Phoenix, featuring WAYNE KRAMER, legendary proto-punk guitarist of The MC5! Wayne and Jason Heath (Wayne’s lead instructor for their revolutionary prison-to-musician education […]
The 2020 session of Arizona State Legislature opened on January 13th! We are excited to report that many bills have since been introduced tackling unfair sentencing, barriers to successful reentry, and courtroom proceedings. These bills represent a full spectrum of criminal justice reform — at the front, middle, and back-end of […]