Arizona consistently has one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States, with 710 individuals incarcerated per 100,000 residents as of last year. This rate surpasses that of any almost every country in the world, behind only El Salvador, Cuba, Rwanda and Turkmenistan. The incarceration rate is higher than that of Britain, Portugal, Canada, France, Belgium. Italy and all the other founding countries of NATO.
As of December 2024, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) reported an average population of more than 35,500 inmates, including those in contract facilities. The inmate population is made up of approximately 90.8% males and 9.2% females, and about 90% are housed in facilities located in Maricopa County. Note that more than 93% of all Arizona inmates are United States citizens.
Inmates are locked up for a variety of offenses. As of June 2024, common commitment offenses included assault (14.2% of the population), burglary/criminal trespass (4.3%), and auto theft (4.9%). But drug crimes make up the largest category of offenses for which people are incarcerated in Arizona, representing more than 20% of the inmate population.
One reason, perhaps the most important, that Arizona’s incarceration rate is consistently so high is not that Arizonans are less law-abiding than residents of other states. The cause goes back to the so-called “truth in sentencing” law, the original version of which went into effect in 1994. As part of the legislation, most inmates must serve at least 85% of their sentence. While there are exceptions to the rules, they nevertheless guarantee that those most people convicted in Arizona will likely spend more time behind bars than their counterparts in other states. When you add the severity of sentencing for certain drug crimes, many first-time offenders end up serving years in prison.
Law Offices of David A. Black
40 North Central Avenue #1850
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(480) 280-8028