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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
prisoners; transition program; eligibility.
Purpose
Establishes additional conditions with which an inmate must comply in order to be eligible for a 90-day transition program.
Background
Statute requires the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) to establish conditions of community supervision that are in the best interests of both the community and the prisoner. The Director of ADC can require drug treatment, educational programs, rehabilitation, restitution work, counseling, and application for health care as conditions for community supervision. Any prisoner who has been convicted of a violation of sexual conduct with a minor under 15 years old is prohibited from residing within 440 feet of any school where children attend classes (A.R.S. § 41-1604.07).
ADC administers a transition program that provides for a 90-day early release from custody, and contracts with private or nonprofit entities to provide eligible inmates with transition services, which include: 1) placement in employment, employment assistance and career counseling; 2) basic academic education, general equivalency diploma preparation and postsecondary education job training; 3) transitional needs, including housing, food or treatment services; 4) assistance in finding health insurance coverage and, if applicable, medical assistance, including assistance in finding necessary medication; and 5) mentoring services. In addition, contracted entities are required to coordinate with ADC to assist in the placement of eligible persons in training programs which may include basic or continuing education courses, anger management, communication skills, drug treatment, alcohol treatment, character education or family reunifications (A.R.S. § 31‑282).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Adds all the following as disqualifiers from the 90-day transition program:
a) failure to achieve functional literacy;
b) classification as close or maximum custody as determined by a current and objective risk assessment; and
c) refusal to enroll in or having been removed from a major self-improvement program for bad behavior within the previous 18 months.
2. Specifies that an inmate must agree to comply with community supervision conditions related to drug rehabilitation and healthcare acquisition in order to be eligible for a 90-day transition program.
3. Makes a technical change.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 18, 2019
ZD/HB/gs