PHOENIX — Visitations at many of Arizona's prisons are closed, while other limitations are in place due to an uptick in inmate violence at several locations.
On Friday, officials with the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) announced actions being taken to "protect staff and inmates, while reducing, curtailing, and discouraging violence within the inmate population."
ABC15 previously reported on the killings of three inmates at the Tucson prison by fellow inmate Ricky Wassenaar on April 4.
Also in April, ADCRR announced the in-prison deaths of 36-year-old inmate Daniel Montoya, who died while living in Lewis Prison, and 40-year-old Jesse Alejandro, who died while living in Eyman Prison.
According to a Friday release, ADCRR's close custody units are where the recent violence incidents occurred. Those specific units reportedly account for about 4,900 of the more than 35,000 inmates across the state's prison system and private contracted prisons.
Inmates in these units account for some of the most high-risk prisoners in the state, with histories of institutional violence, significant behavioral problems, long-standing disciplinary issues, and other concerning factors.
The impacted units include:
- ASPC- Eyman’s Rynning unit
- ASPC- Lewis’s Buckley, Morey, and Rast units
- ASPC- Tucson's Cimarron unit
- ASPC- Winslow’s Kaibab unit
- ASPC- Yuma’s Dakota unit
The units are under restricted movement with closed visitation indefinitely to allow an adjustment to safety procedures.
“Violence is not, and should never be an acceptable part of incarceration. The actions being taken in these close custody units will ensure the personal safety of staff and inmates. We will not allow continued negative behavior to disrupt our orderly operations or jeopardize the security of our institutions," said Director Ryan Thornell.
ADCRR also mentions that inmates in the impacted units will still have access to showers, phones, mail, tablets, legal visits, mental and physical health appointments, medication, and in-unit work.
