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1) I suspect that the real reason Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is against releasing people from prison, is because the more people he puts in prison, the more he can claim he is tough on crime when it comes time for running for reelection. 2) I suspect Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is cooking the books when he claims that "Less than 5 percent, or roughly 1,900 inmates, are considered non-violent first offenders".I know a huge percent of the people in Arizona prisons are there for victimless drug war crimes. At the Federal level per US Bureau of Prison statistics, 51% of the people in Federal prisons are there for victimless drug war crimes. According to the ACLU 50% of all the arrests in the United States are for victimless marijuana crimes. I am not sure what they number is in Arizona, but I know it is very large.
Letter: Releasing prisoners won’t solve riots Bill Montgomery 3:13 p.m. MST September 1, 2015 Caroline Isaacs (“Arizona needs fewer prisons,” Monday My Turn) makes a valid point that the recent riots in the Kingman prison provide an opportunity to review ongoing prison operations. But to think we can address any underlying causes by implementing an expanded early release program is a gross oversimplification in light of who is serving time in Arizona’s prisons. Researcher Daryl R. Fischer found that over 95 percent of current inmates are serving sentences for violent and/or repeat felony offenses. These include murder, rape, child abuse, aggravated assault and other offenses involving the use of a dangerous weapon. Less than 5 percent, or roughly 1,900 inmates, are considered non-violent first offenders convicted of sex trafficking, drug trafficking, felony DUIs involving death or serious physical injury, child pornography and organized crime offenses. A proposed expansion of the Early Release Program initially set goals of 3,500 in the first year and 5,000 each year thereafter. An initial review did not reveal 3,500, let alone 5,000, inmates who would have qualified under an expanded program. Nevertheless, reviewing how to manage the prison population without sacrificing public safety is a worthy discussion. Objective data supports increasing implementation of recidivism reduction programs from the point of admission, as well as throughout imprisonment and during re-entry to the community. — Bill Montgomery, Maricopa County Attorney |