Recently, I was contacted by David, a former inmate who spent the majority of his life within the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADOC). He reached out not for sympathy, but to shed light on a system that, according to him, has spiraled into chaos, violence, and corruption—unchecked for decades.
David’s story begins at the age of 11, when he was first incarcerated at Adobe Mountain Juvenile Detention Center, Arizona’s primary juvenile corrections facility. He spent the rest of his adolescence cycling in and out of the system until, as an adult, he was sentenced to prison. In total, David spent over 20 years behind bars in the Arizona Department of Corrections. Now, he lives with PTSD—a result, he says, of witnessing extreme and relentless violence behind prison walls.
One recent viral video prompted our conversation: a disturbing clip circulating on social media showing an inmate being brutally attacked with a lock placed inside a sock—an improvised but deadly weapon. I asked David whether scenes like that were common.
His response was chilling: “Every day. Several times a day.”
According to David, these acts of violence aren’t isolated incidents—they’re a systemic issue. When asked where the correctional officers (COs) were during such incidents, he responded bluntly: “The COs were most likely paid to allow it to happen.”
He went on to explain how deep corruption runs within Arizona prisons. “Correctional officers get paid to smuggle in drugs and phones, to cover up murders and assaults. Sometimes, they’ll even write false disciplinary charges to protect the actual perpetrator.”
These claims are not new—and they’re supported by public records. In 2019, an investigation by The Arizona Republic found that ADOC had major issues with contraband entering prisons, often with staff involvement. That same year, 27 correctional staff members were arrested or disciplined for misconduct, including drug smuggling and inappropriate relationships with inmates.
No Rehabilitation, No Reform
When asked whether he had ever seen signs of meaningful rehabilitation during his time in prison, David didn’t hesitate: “There is absolutely no rehabilitation in ADOC. Nothing is enforced. Nothing is offered. They call it ‘Corrections,’ but there’s no correction happening—only survival.”
This statement echoes the findings of criminal justice experts and watchdog organizations. According to a 2023 report from the Prison Policy Initiative, Arizona allocates just 3.6% of its corrections budget to rehabilitation and educational programming, one of the lowest percentages in the country. Many inmates never receive access to substance abuse treatment, vocational training, or mental health support—services proven to reduce recidivism.
A 2020 audit by the Arizona Auditor General found that ADOC had failed to properly track inmate participation in reentry or educational programs, and often lacked qualified staff to deliver them. In some facilities, programming was suspended altogether due to staff shortages or security concerns—further limiting opportunities for rehabilitation.
The Role of Lifers and the Reality of Prison Hierarchy
David describes a stark hierarchy on the prison yard, one not controlled by staff but by inmates serving life sentences—“lifers”—who run drug operations, control access to contraband, and enforce violent discipline. “You’ve got lifers who keep to themselves—good people who hit a dark time,” David says. “Then you have the lifers who treat prison like a business. They sell drugs, traffic phones, and have no fear of killing. For some of them, murder is just part of the game.”
He recalled a specific incident involving a debt of just $11. One inmate, just six days from release, was ordered to kill another inmate over the unpaid money. He refused. So, the task fell to another inmate with only 30 days left on his sentence. That inmate complied—and is now serving a life sentence.
This anecdote illustrates a chilling truth: even minor disputes can escalate into lethal violence in Arizona prisons, and the cost of resistance can be deadly.
The Scale of the Problem
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2022), Arizona ranks among the top 10 states for its incarceration rate, with over 500 inmates per 100,000 residents—significantly higher than the national average. As of 2024, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) houses more than 33,000 inmates across 10 state-operated prisons and several private facilities.
But the issues go beyond overcrowding. A 2021 report by the Arizona Office of the Auditor General found serious failures in prison security systems, poor staff training, and a lack of oversight over contraband and inmate safety. In one report, it was revealed that over 70% of incidents involving inmate violence occurred in areas where surveillance cameras were either non-functional or absent altogether.
In 2020, Arizona faced a class-action lawsuit (Parsons v. Shinn) over its failure to provide adequate medical and mental health care in prisons. The federal court found the state in contempt, citing “gross indifference” and “systemic failure.” These findings only reinforce David’s claims that both inmates and officers are “set up to fail.”
The Role of Leadership—and Accountability
David believes the corruption goes all the way to the top. “Wardens know exactly who’s bringing in the phones, who’s trafficking the drugs, and who’s behind the violence. They allow it. They profit from it. And nothing changes.”
Multiple whistleblower reports have indicated that prison leadership often looks the other way or actively participates in cover-ups. Oversight committees and watchdog organizations like the Prison Policy Initiative and the ACLU have long criticized ADOC for its lack of transparency and accountability.
David’s voice is a warning and a plea. “This system is broken,” he says. “Fixing it will take more than reform—it’ll take a complete overhaul, and even then, it might take a decade to see real change.”
Conclusion
The Arizona prison system, as described by David and backed by years of reporting, lawsuits, and investigations, appears to be a breeding ground for violence and corruption. There are no safety nets, no second chances, and—perhaps most damning of all—no rehabilitation.
When unchecked, these conditions don’t just damage inmates—they ripple outward, affecting families, communities, and public safety. The system, by its own design, perpetuates failure.
David’s story is just one of thousands. But his firsthand experience forces us to ask: How many more lives will be destroyed before we demand change?
What you are doing is phenomenal work. You helped my mother and I visit her son, my brother in prison. My brother is doing life and it had been 8 long years since we have seen him. Tanya is the most loving person. After she took us to visit, she put money on my mother’s phone to be able to talk to my brother and paid our light bill. She did this out of her personal account because she had no funding yet. She didn’t have to do that but did. Tanya we are forever grateful for you. Can’t wait to see you next weekend