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Arizona is filling its prisons with ‘folks we’re just mad at’
Arizona is at a crossroads. Should we continue to build more costly prisons and fill them with low-level offenders? Or should we follow the lead of many other conservative states that reserve expensive prison beds for violent offenders, and direct the savings to programs that have been proven to reduce repeat offenses?
Kurt Altman: Baseball wash-up lands in law and public policy
Kurt Altman, the state director for Right on Crime, a group that pushes conservative solutions to reduce crime, went to college to play baseball, but he ended up an attorney whose career has taken him from facing down and defending criminals in county and federal courtrooms to lobbying for “Right to Try” legislation in 46 state Capitols.
The Breakdown, Episode 11: Where do we even begin?
Last week, the Capitol was abuzz with everything from talk of criminal justice reform to how to fund Arizona's public education system - and that's just the beginning.
Arizona resistant to change in ‘tough-on-crime’ sentencing laws
A lingering “tough-on-crime” mentality in Arizona is hampering efforts to reconstruct the state’s criminal justice system.
Ducey record on pardons, commutations not forgiving
Nearing the end of his first term, Ducey has granted only one pardon, to a man who stole a motorcycle in 1972. Other pardon recommendations sit dormant, leaving people awaiting a signature that could change their lives in fundamental ways.
Like Texas, Arizona would benefit from Justice Reinvestment Initiatives
For Arizona, the bottom line is that the prison population will continue to be reduced by additional changes and the state will save a substantial amount of money over the next several years instead of continuing to increase spending without benefitting public safety. Isn’t it worth taking the extra step and reinstituting the reinvestment portion of the legislation? It will only add to the posit[...]
Jared Keenan: Taking the job of a public defender to a systemic level
Jared Keenan is the newest hire by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, one of three staffing additions the organization will make thanks to a surge in donations following President Trump’s election in 2016.
Amy Love: From an intern in the corner to a voice at the table
Amy Love's friends may imagine she wins the court’s favor with lawmakers by making campaign contributions and buying people boats. But she's hardly your typical lobbyist.
Jail reform must address mental health, substance dependence
Though it is too often ignored in the criminal justice reform dialogue, treating the mentally ill and drug addicted as patients instead of criminals should be a focal point for reform.
Lawmakers focused on victims’ rights, not get-tough bills
Arizona lawmakers weren’t as tough on crime in the 2016 session, choosing instead to focus on victims’ rights.
The deal: Notable new policies make the state’s 2017 budget agreement more than just a group of numbers
Lawmakers like to say that a budget is a reflection of values. But it’s also a collection of policies, some of which might not have stood a chance as stand-alone measures.
Territorial Criminal Justice
This is the body of highwayman William Whitney Brazelton propped against a wall on Tucson’s Main Street as a caution to anyone planning a career in crime.
