Maricopa County detention officer accused of smuggling drugs
A Maricopa County detention officer has been arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the jail system. Sheriff Paul Penzone announced the arrest of officer Andres Salazar at a news conference today.
Judge outlines fixes to poor health care in Arizona prisons
A federal judge who previously concluded Arizona was providing inadequate medical and mental health care to prisoners said she will give the state three months to ensure it has enough health care professionals to meet constitutional standards.
Clemency advocates push for more attention, resources, additional board member
When it comes to recommendations from the Board of Executive Clemency, advocates for clemency say former Gov. Doug Ducey fell short in responding to requests for pardons and commutations.
Ex-cop in Floyd killing moved to AZ pen
Derek Chauvin has been moved from a Minnesota state prison where he was often held in solitary confinement to a medium-security federal prison in Arizona, where the former police officer convicted in George Floyd's killing may be held under less restrictive conditions.
Judge: state’s care of inmates is inadequate
The care provided by the state at prison is "plainly grossly inadequate'' and state officials are acting "with deliberate indifference'' to the substantial risk of harm to inmates, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
Quaker group seeks revamp of state’s ‘truth-in-sentencing’ laws
A Quaker organization claims to have bipartisan support for a bill that would upend Arizona’s truth-in-sentencing laws, which requires Arizona inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their court-imposed sentences.
Corrections Dept. gets $12M to meet inmates’ class action settlement
The Arizona Department of Corrections will have an extra $12 million during the next fiscal year to meet requirements of a far-reaching agreement to settle a class-action suit brought by the state’s nearly 34,000 prisoners. The department began taking steps to comply a year ago.
Quaker group hopes to boost state budget by reducing mandatory sentences
A Quaker group is testing the waters for reducing Arizona’s mandatory minimum sentences as a way to save money.
State asks judge to throw out inmates’ lawsuit, saying it ‘borders on the ridiculous’
The state is asking federal judge to throw out a lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 34,000 inmates, saying there's no evidence each and every prisoner is at risk.
Coconino County Jail adding sweat lodge for Native American inmates
Kelvin Long, a Navajo who will serve as cultural adviser for a Native American religious program at the Coconino County Jail, inspects a circular rebar frame that will be covered with blankets to form a sweat lodge.
Overtime claims for clemency board members studied
Arizona officials are studying whether current and former members of the state Board of Executive Clemency are owed potentially significant amounts of overtime pay.
Ruling says Ariz. DNA law doesn’t require payments
A state court ruling says the Arizona law requiring DNA testing of convicted felons doesn't permit authorities to make the convicted person pay for the testing.