/ Modified feb 13, 2021 2:05 p.m.

Arizona’s prison population declines by 11% during pandemic

The decrease reflects a slowdown in the state’s court system

360 303 sum prison wire A watchtower seen in the distance at the Florence State Prison.
AZPM Staff

The number of inmates in Arizona’s prisons has declined 11% since the start of pandemic.

The decrease reflects a slowdown in the state’s court system that has held far fewer criminal jury trials over the last year as it took steps to prevent the coronavirus from spreading at courthouses.

Corrections officials say they are seeing fewer sentenced inmates being sent to prison from counties and fewer revocations of probation and community-supervision releases that would send people back behind bars.

Defense lawyers say defendants are reluctant to accept plea offers out of fear that they might be exposed to COVID-19 if they were sentenced to prison.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona