Arizona, like many other states, currently has an overcrowded prison population. Recently, a panel of federal judges ordered the State of California to reduce its prison population by approximately 27% (a reduction of 40,000 out of 150,000 inmates).

The California legislature is now working on a bill to reduce the prison population. This bill also contains a section that will have inmates, who are released from prison and who have a history of violent offenses, on a much stricter level of supervision than those released for non-violent offenses. The new bill would preclude many of the individuals under supervision, who are currently being re-incarcerated for technical violations, from being returned to prison, unless they also commit a new offense.

Colorado prison authorities announced this month that they will release 6,400 inmates early, due to budgetary concerns and prison overcrowding. This is up from the original number of 3,400 that was originally announced.

Arizona is currently suffering from similar overcrowding problems at a time when the state is already suffering from a lack of income and is requiring state agencies to reduce their budgets. As reported in the March 2009 Phoenix Business Journal, Arizona’s prison population was projected to increase by 52% from 2005 to 2015. That is over twice the rate of increase in the state’s population during the same time. This means that Arizona would need to increase the number of prison beds by 20,000 just to handle the increase. This does not even account for the number of new beds needed to handle the current overcrowding. These conditions may lead to changes in Arizona similar to what is happening in other states.

If I can be of assistance to you during these rapidly changing times, feel free to call. In addition to my experience with the Department of Corrections and as a member and chairman of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, I have over 20 years experience working with clients, their families and attorneys developing mitigation proposals to be submitted to the Court. Ongoing consultation and support is also offered for clients and families prior to incarceration and during the transitional period.

John J. Sloss 602-329-5631

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