This high level staffer agreed to share his experiences–Ed.

“Inmates are nothing but a ‘cash cow’ to make money for the state. Arizona’s copper mines went out, and they needed to find other revenue to fill the coffers. Mining the poor, indigent, homeless, and mentally ill sounded like a great idea. Of course, they’d need to call them criminals to get away with it.”

PW: ‘What kind of shenanigans are happening on the Closed Custody yards?
“Oh that. (laughs) The boys (guards) get bored, so it’s common practice to arrange little ‘prize fights’ with the girl inmates. Ya place yer bets on the gals, then let them out with each other and let them go at it.”

PW: ‘We have heard the guards give the girls little gifts for favors, is that true?’
(laughs). “I ain’t goin’ on record on THAT one! (shakes his head).”

PW: ‘Well is it true there are a lot of suicide attempts on those yards?’
“Now that is true. We get upwards of 2, 3 sometimes 5 a day/night.”

PW: ‘Why do you think that’s true?
“Cuz they got nothin’ to do in there, and their life is shit. There are no programs for those people, they’re whole existence is quiet despair.”

PW: ‘What do you think of the DOC tacking on Rehabilitation and Reentry on their name?
“(laughs hard) What a joke! Rehabilitation consists of wringing all the money out of inmates and their families before they throw them out. The DOC don’t give a shit about rehabilitation, all they’re interested in is MONEY, and making lots of it. The DOC’s idea of reentry is droppin’ em’ off at the Walmart parking lot.”

PW: ‘Do you think the DOC is corrupt?’
“Why do you think they call it the Dept. of Corruption?”

PW: Why did you become a correctional officer?
“It’s the only government job ya can get with a GED”

(Part 2 of this interview soon.)