Last week legislators in Arizona demonstrated that bipartisan leadership on criminal justice can produce strong, outcomes-oriented policies that make everyone safer.
Prison reform bills save money, maintain safety
As a strong conservative Republican, I understand that Arizona’s Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR) is a government agency warranting just as much scrutiny as any other. Our prison system costs taxpayers $1.3 billion each year. Most of the 38,000 people in prison are going home some day, and they need to be rehabilitated so the public remains safe. It’s the Legislature’s job to make sure that dollars are being spent wisely on positive outcomes for those inside and outside of our prisons.
That’s why I am sponsoring two essential criminal justice reform bills this year. House Bill 2713 would save money and increase public safety by incentivizing rehabilitation for people convicted of nonviolent offenses.