Prisoner Rights

In a historic win for women and mothers in Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer, on March 21, signed a bill banning the practice of restraining pregnant inmates in shackles. The bill – which generated support from across the ideological spectrum – prevents jail officials from using leg or waist restraints during transportation, labor, delivery and postpartum recovery. With the passage of SB 1184, Arizona now joins 14 other states in banning this inhumane and unconstitutional practice.

Despite efforts by states across the country to implement policy reforms to cut crime rates and incarceration costs, members of the Arizona Senate Judiciary Committee today will hear a series of ‘tough on crime’ measures that will increase prison sentences for certain crimes and place the financial burden on taxpayers.  This latest move by Arizona lawmakers is part of a disturbing trend at the Arizona Capitol to drive up incarceration rates and costs and ignore the potential of better alternatives.

San Francisco—The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released records today which show that Arizona, Nebraska, and other states broke the Federal Controlled Substances Act when they imported sodium thiopental, a dangerous controlled substance commonly used in executions that is no longer available in the U.S.

PHOENIX, AZ – Arizona taxpayers are paying a dear price for the lack of accountability and transparency at local county jails, said the ACLU of Arizona, which today criticized Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for denying members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) access to jail facilities.