The day before he’s scheduled to testify before state lawmakers about inmate deaths in prisons, Ryan Thornell, Arizona’s director of corrections, is touting new safety measures.
The hearing stems from an investigation by lawmakers after three prisoners were killed by a fellow inmate within 24 hours in April in Tucson.
The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry says guards were given body cameras in May.
And this month, the department is launching a violence reduction workgroup to find sustainable solutions. Several efforts, such as modernizing mail processing in state prisons, are aimed at reducing contraband.
The department is also touting investments in staff, such as more pay for those with high-risk assignments and new training curriculum for correctional officers.
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KJZZ explores the barriers and risks incarcerated women face as they prepare to leave prison and start their lives over again. -
Women are a small but growing segment of the state’s prison population, and their needs are distinct. Yet, many of the programs designed to prepare them for release were primarily tailored for men.There are efforts in Arizona aimed at giving incarcerated women a real second chance. -
Leroy Dean McGill, 63, was pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. Wednesday following a lethal injection at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence, corrections officials said. -
The federal judge who ordered the takeover of Arizona’s prison healthcare system earlier this year because of years of unconstitutionally inadequate care is looking to quickly appoint a receiver to oversee the care of more than 25,000 state inmates. -
It appears there’s progress being made in budget talks between Republican legislative leaders and Governor Katie Hobbs. But a recent court ruling could add another wrinkle into those negotiations.
