Arizona Starts Charging Prison Visitors
Arizona has become the first state to begin charging friends and family who wish to visit loved ones in prison. Hardly a notable distinction, particularly since the fee is being misrepresented as a way to pay for the background checks associated with visitor application approvals. Anyone wishing to visit an inmate, however, will now be required to submit a one-time $25 fee with their application.
The fee is called a “background check fee” though the chief of staff for the state Senate has said the fee won’t go to pay for background checks at all. Instead Wendy Baldo admits “We were trying to cut the budget and think of ways that could help get some services for the Department of Corrections.” She goes on to say the fee won’t pay for background checks but will go into a fund for maintenance and repairs.
As a result of the fee and numerous families who have complained, a Tempe-based group called the Middle Ground Prison Reform, has filed suit against the Department, saying the fee is unconstitutional as it amounts to nothing more than a special tax on a single group of people. The same group has also filed suit in regards to another money-making fee for the state, one which charges 1% for every deposit made into an inmate’s account.
Prison isn’t a walk in the park and small things can make the difference between an inmate being motivated to change and one who walks out as the same person who entered. Things like visits, letters, phone calls, and even employment within the walls can keep an inmate positive and can facilitate rehabilitation, reducing recidivism. When you make it more difficult for the incarcerated to have any positivity in prison, it doesn’t only hurt them, it potentially impacts public safety.
The Department of Corrections refuses to comment on the fee as there is pending litigation. They have also not released whether or not visitation numbers have changed since the implementation of the fee. However, it seems that most families would be willing to pay, if possible, in order to provide some support to the loved ones that are in custody.
Interestingly, the state Department of Public Safety provides free background checks to individuals who want to know what’s on their own record, if they supply the fingerprints. I wonder what would happen if those applying for visitation would send a copy of their free background check in lieu of their $25 fee?
Once you are convicted of a crime, you will find this is only one of the more minor obstacles that you will face. The best thing to do is to avoid a conviction in the first place. If you are facing criminal charges, contact our offices today to discuss the details of your case and what can be done.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.