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Non-violent drug offenders need help, not felony records
Maybe it’s time for prosecutors like Barbara LaWall to stop defending the status quo and embrace a more effective justice system based on data and evidence. It has worked in Texas, Utah, Georgia and 29 other states. And unless Arizonans are somehow more crime-prone than the rest of the country, it will work here, too.
Prisoners need programs for success after release
I was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives on a promise that I would fight for individual liberty and hold those who break our laws accountable, and my fight to reform Arizona’s criminal justice system is consistent with those principles.
Court: Tucson man wrongly jailed cannot collect for years behind bars
A Tucson man who spent 42 years in prison on 28 arson-related murder counts that were later vacated cannot now collect damages for the years he spent behind bars, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.
Arizona lags the nation in criminal justice reform
In a recent guest opinion, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery peddles a grab bag of outdated and weak measures – some over 40 years old – to claim that Arizona leads in criminal justice reform. If only.
Arizona leads the way in criminal justice reform
Arizona’s criminal justice system is not perfect. There is always room for improvement in any system, and I and other prosecutors remain willing to engage in productive discussions and initiatives to improve criminal justice system outcomes for crime victims, the public we serve, and defendants to reduce recidivism.
Much not told in ACLU report on criminal justice
What if we provided substance abuse treatment from the point of admission, and cognitive behavioral treatment? What if we just started with drug possession offenders? Re-entry programs are showing significant promise in reducing recidivism and so are diversion and deferred prosecution programs utilizing substance abuse treatment and cognitive behavioral therapies. We should be implementing similar[...]
Judge fines state $1.4 million for contempt in prison health care case
On Friday, the day of his retirement, U.S. Magistrate Judge David Duncan ordered the Arizona Department of Corrections to pay $1.4 million for continued noncompliance with court-ordered prison health care standards.
They’re both right and wrong on prosecutors’ ‘Prisoners in Arizona’ report
Ultimately, we will never achieve meaningful sentencing reform in Arizona with both sides bashing the other and making “straw dog” arguments based on false mischaracterization of the other’s positions. Instead, we must take baby steps and then measure results as they inform public safety, in much the same way that the recently released APAAC report undertook its detailed and valuable account[...]
Less is more when it comes to putting people in jail
So, while Phoenix may be bigger, it turns out bigger is not always better, especially when talking about jail populations. The real winners will likely be the taxpayers of Tucson and Pima County because their leaders realize less is more.
Ducey rejects request for reduced prison sentence for ex-cop
Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday denied a request for a reduced sentence for a former Phoenix police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man while on duty in 2010.
Bill says doctors can go to prison for incomplete medical marijuana exam
The 6-3 vote Thursday for HB 2067 would impose prison terms of up to a year for medical professionals who fail to conduct a full medical exam before issuing the required state certification to buy and use the drug.
Ducey orders removal of question about criminal histories from state job applications
Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order today directing the Arizona Department of Administration to change its hiring procedures to handle criminal histories differently.
