Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs creates a prison oversight commission
Gov. Katie Hobbs announced the creation of an independent prison oversight commission to review Arizona’s ailing state prison system and report to the public this fall.
Under an executive order issued by Hobbs on Wednesday, the commissioners will be appointed by the governor and include members of the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives, a representative from an “inmate advocacy organization,” a member with a background in prisoner rehabilitation programs, two people formerly in prisons in Arizona, members with medical and psychiatric experience, a family member of a recently incarcerated person, and a representative of law enforcement officials.
The commission will have the power to inspect prison facilities and records, and to interview staff and inmates to try to monitor issues the department is struggling with, such as health care, security, the state of facilities, access to nutrition and sanitation products, Communication, complaints and staff.
The executive order states that the commission was established because “there is an urgent need to ensure transparency and accountability for Arizona’s correctional system and … to maintain the integrity of Arizona’s correctional system, prevent wrongdoing, and find responsible ways to reduce costs.” , which will benefit all Arizona citizens.”
“Individuals who are incarcerated should receive humane treatment during their incarceration and be prepared for a successful re-entry into society,” the order said. “Establishing an independent external oversight commission will facilitate the collection and public disclosure of unbiased and accurate information about Arizona State’s corrections system.
The implementing regulation states that the Commission is to present a preliminary report on 15 November 2023 “outlining initial findings and recommendations from its review”.
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The order says the commission will issue further reports “at least annually” to document findings and provide updates.
“We cannot deny the urgent need to ensure transparency and accountability in Arizona’s correctional system,” Hobbs told reporters Wednesday. “Incarcerated Arizonans should be treated humanely and decently, and correctional officers and civil servants should feel safe in their jobs.”
Last week, Hobbs announced the appointment of Ryan Thornell, Assistant Commissioner for the Maine Department of Justice, as the new director of the Arizona Department of Justice. Thornell takes over on January 30th.
Thornell will face tremendous challenges left by his predecessors and decades in the making.
“The new director, Thornell, cares about transparency and that’s one of the main reasons he’s the right person to address these types of issues,” Hobbs said Wednesday. “But he will also need the support of the community, and this executive order will give him the tools he needs to be successful.” The governor said meetings of the commission would be governed by the Open Sessions Act and its members would not be paid . “Any report produced as a result of an executive order will be released in the public records and that administration operates for transparency,” Hobbs said. The commission and the new director of the Department of Corrections will each report to Hobbs. The commission’s work will go beyond well-known prison health care problems that have been documented in lengthy court cases and punishable by heavy fines.The health care system and prison conditions in Arizona were recently ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge well beyond the scope of the lawsuit, which specifically relates to prisoner health care,” Hobbs said. “Our office is actively engaged in this case to ensure that it is the issues raised that we are really addressing that have so far been largely ignored. She expects Thornell to make changes to prison operations immediately when he starts working in Arizona and said he was hired because of his focus on reforming really serious correctional issues and a lack of real urgency to deal with them and the nature and changing the way we treat people in our care in the state,” Hobbs said.
The news comes a week after Hobbs announced that Arizona would stay executions pending a review of the trial by a yet-to-be-appointed commissioner.
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The language in the executive order establishing the commission uses some of the exact language from legislation introduced by former State Representative Walt Blackman in 2021 to create an independent prison oversight committee. The bill was drafted with input from ex-prisoners and received bipartisan support, but ultimately died.
Blackman said he was excited when he heard about the executive order.
He said he hopes the commission will work with the new director and review issues previously identified by the Arizona Office of Auditor General.
“I really hope that they are able to identify deficiencies based on their oversight and that they are actually able to invest resources in addressing those deficiencies,” Blackman said.
Kevin Ring, president of the criminal justice reform advocacy group FAMM, which has previously campaigned for better prison oversight in Arizona, called the appointment of the commission an important step.
“Independent oversight will improve the safety and health of inmates and law enforcement officials,” Ring said. “You can’t solve problems without knowing that they exist. Oversight will bring much-needed transparency and accountability. We hope that this oversight program, along with the appointment of the new State Penitentiary Warden, will set an example of a commitment to a safer prison system. “
Michele Deitch, director of the Prison and Prison Innovation Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin, also welcomed Hobbs’ recent prison reform proposal.
“This is a fantastic development and the Governor deserves credit for recognizing the importance of independent oversight of our prisons,” Deitch said. “It will go a long way in improving security at these facilities.”
Deitch said the creation of a prison oversight commission is consistent with national trends and recommendations from the American Bar Association. She says ensuring the commission has the staff, resources and full access to prisons will be essential to its success.
“The ability to enter any facility at any time without notice is critical as it allows for an unvarnished view of what is happening in the facilities and ensures greater accuracy of the results,” Deitch said.
While many advocates have pushed for better prison oversight in recent years, one former inmate has made it his life’s work. John Fabricius founded the Arizonans for Transparency and Accountability in Corrections advocacy group after spending 15 years in state prisons. He says he first got the idea when he was forced to clean up the prison grounds before a tour by an Arizona Republic reporter.
“I have seen the extent to which the government has prevented this reporter from seeing the reality within our prison system,” Fabricius said.
Fabricius worked with legislators for several years to formulate the language for prison oversight bills in the Arizona legislature, many of which ended up in Hobbs’ executive order. Fabricius said he was encouraged by Thornell’s appointment as the new director and excited that Hobbs was taking action to establish an oversight committee.
“Governor Hobbs’ administration demonstrates a clear understanding of the myriad issues that exist within the Correctional Service and the immediate need to create transparency in this opaque bureaucracy,” Fabricius said. “Creating this transparency is the first step in achieving accountability and making the significant changes needed to bring this agency into compliance with state law and the Constitution.”
Fabricius said while welcoming the executive action, he believes the commission should be codified so it can have a long-lasting impact on public safety and the rehabilitation of detainees.
Do you have a news tip about Arizona prisons? Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 812-243-5582. Follow him on Twitter @JimmyJenkins.Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at [email protected] or 480-416-5669. keep following her Twitter @sbarchenger.
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