Another week has passed at the Arizona Capitol with little discussion of reform legislation. And along with the usual bickering over the state budget and some divisive measures, we saw just one positive step forward overshadowed by efforts to further criminalize our communities. First, the good: Rep. Tony Rivero’s […]
A Quiet Crossover Week A fairly quiet ‘crossover week’ at the Arizona Capitol is in the books. And that means that any criminal justice reform legislation we’ve helped move through committee and the respective chambers of origin faces new challenges now that it’s ‘crossed over’ to the opposite chamber. The best […]
Second Chances Act Is Filed! Needs Signatures! In last week’s update, we promised you BIG NEWS… and we delivered! The SECOND CHANCES, REHABILITATION & PUBLIC SAFETY ACT was filed with the Arizona Secretary of State on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The initiative would allow those doing time for nondangerous offenses to be released after […]
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 […]