Arizona lawmakers say they have “deep concern over rising violence, inmate homicides, and the Department’s lack of transparency inside Arizona’s prisons, following Tuesday’s Joint Ad Hoc Study Committee on Correctional Practices and Facility Safety hearing.
Co-Chairs Representative Quang Nguyen and Senator Kevin Payne expressed those concerns and promised to continue to review inmate classification practices, security staffing levels, transparency, and internal oversight of ADCRR decision-making, in order to present a detailed report of their findings in the coming months.
Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) Director Ryan Thornell confirmed to the Committee that nine inmates have been killed this year, with assaults on both staff and inmates climbing under his administration. Members pressed Thornell on policies that allowed high-risk offenders—including inmate Ricky Wassenaar, who is accused of three murders in April—to be reassigned to less restrictive custody levels despite known histories of violence.
“The people of Arizona deserve answers when preventable deaths occur inside state prisons,” said Representative Nguyen. “What we heard yesterday shows a pattern of poor decisions, a lack of accountability, and troubling gaps in transparency at the top. Moving violent offenders into less secure settings has put staff and inmates in danger, and the results are tragic. This cannot continue.”
“Those who’ve spent their careers inside our prisons told us plainly that leadership decisions are putting lives at risk,” Senator Payne said. “Instead of doubling down on failed policies, ADCRR should be reversing course and being forthright with lawmakers and the public. Our duty as lawmakers is to hold the Department accountable and make sure public safety, inside and outside the prison walls, is not compromised.”
“Director Thornell indicated to the Committee that he is willing to meet with us on an ongoing basis to address these concerns, and I look forward to working with him to do just that,” Representative Nguyen added. “Our responsibility is to increase public accountability so that staff and inmates are safe, and I remain committed to that goal moving forward.”