Dear Editor,
The Arizona Legislature and Governor need to stop playing politics with the safety of Arizonans by pointing fingers over their grotesque negligence causing critical failures to our prison system. They must take responsibility of their duty to keep Arizonans safe and agree on an urgent solution — today —before more lives are lost, more staff walks away, and before this crisis collapses our faulty prison system.
Murders
Murders have increased. Just two months ago, a Tucson prison inmate targeted and killed three inmates as well as numerous other inmate murders in the system.
Staff Assaults
Inmate-on-staff assaults doubled from 244 in January 2024 to 480 by January 2025 (96.4% increase). These are not isolated incidents but rather the result of a system in crisis, driven by chronic understaffing.
Shrinking Staff
As of May 25, 2025, nearly 20% of all positions within the Department are vacant (2,000+ Correctional Officer posts). That translates to exhausted Officers, delayed responses to emergencies, and a constant threat to the safety of staff, inmates, and the public. We are not “guards.” We are Correctional Officers. We are certified law enforcement professionals under Arizona law trained to manage high-risk populations, de-escalate volatile situations, and respond to emergencies in tough environments– yet the lowest paid in the region.
The Arizona Corrections Association has requested a pay increase– 20% for all security staff and 10% for all non-security employees (Senate Bill 1010 (Kevin Payne)). This is not just a raise— it’s an investment in public safety, institutional stability, and the men and women who put their lives on the line every day– the bare minimum needed to remain competitive and stabilize our workforce. The 5% pay increase proposed by the Governor is a good start but it’s simply not enough. A five percent increase won’t solve the recruitment crisis, it won’t retain our experienced officers, and it won’t make our prisons any safer.
New hires start at just $45,621 a year—less than what’s offered at local police departments, federal prisons, and even private companies like QuikTrip and Waste Management. To make matters worse, new hires no longer receive a pension—a key benefit that helps keep people in this career.
Court Takeover
The courts are currently reviewing a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona (ACLU), which calls for a federal judge to appoint a receiver to take over the management of healthcare services in Arizona’s prison system. While the lawsuit highlights concerns related to staffing and constitutional compliance, the proposed solution—a federally appointed receiver—is not in the best interest of the State of Arizona or the public it serves.
Receivership would likely result in the appointment of an outside party with little to no correctional experience, creating a costly and inefficient layer of bureaucracy. Rather than delivering meaningful reform, it would burden Arizona taxpayers with millions of dollars in additional expenses, while removing local oversight and accountability from a system that demands both.
Real, sustainable improvements must come from collaborative, informed efforts within the state—not through federally imposed management with no proven track record in correctional healthcare. Arizona needs solutions that prioritize long-term effectiveness, fiscal responsibility, and the safety of both staff and inmates—not costly experiments that risk doing more harm than good.
Call to Action
We urge our elected officials to act decisively and take bold measures to address the staffing shortages. Unless changes are made, the courts may grant the ACLU receivership.
Let me be clear—this is not about staff not doing their jobs, it’s about good people being pushed to their breaking point—covering multiple posts, forced into excessive overtime, and being asked to operate under conditions that are neither safe nor sustainable. Arizona’s Correctional Officers are the silent backbone of our criminal justice system. We prevent escapes, stop violence, and maintain order in environments that most people will never see. But we can’t continue to do this without the staffing and support we desperately need.
I’ve spent 25 years working inside the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR), and today I’m speaking not just for myself, or the ACA—but for the thousands of Correctional Officers. If we continue to operate under these increasingly dangerous and unsustainable conditions, the department and public safety will continue to decline and be under continuous litigation.
Barry DeFeo, Executive President of the Arizona Corrections Association (ACA).
