Lawmakers in Arizona are calling for greater accountability and transparency following a hearing on prison safety issues. The Joint Ad Hoc Study Committee on Correctional Practices and Facility Safety, co-chaired by Representative Quang Nguyen and Senator Kevin Payne, expressed concern over increasing violence and inmate homicides in the state’s prisons. The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) Director Ryan Thornell reported that nine inmates have been killed this year, with assaults on staff and inmates rising.
The committee questioned Thornell about policies that allowed high-risk offenders to be moved to less restrictive custody levels. One such offender is Ricky Wassenaar, accused of three murders in April. “The people of Arizona deserve answers when preventable deaths occur inside state prisons,” said Representative Nguyen. He criticized the department’s decisions as showing “a lack of accountability” and “troubling gaps in transparency.”
Nguyen, who was elected to the Arizona State House in 2021 to represent the 1st House District, emphasized the need for change. A video of Tuesday’s hearing is available online: https://youtu.be/no-hyAuG1jM.
Senator Payne also voiced concerns, stating that leadership decisions are endangering lives. He urged ADCRR to reconsider its policies and be transparent with lawmakers and the public. “Our duty as lawmakers is to hold the Department accountable,” Payne said.
Director Thornell has agreed to ongoing meetings with the committee to address these issues. Representative Nguyen expressed his commitment to ensuring safety for both staff and inmates through increased public accountability.
The committee plans to continue reviewing inmate classification practices, security staffing levels, transparency, and internal oversight at ADCRR. They will present a detailed report of their findings in the coming months.
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