Police group criticizes corrections budget cuts
By Linda Stein, The Daily Courier Friday, January 08, 2010

Layoffs of officers who work with juvenile offenders hurt those children and society as a whole, according to the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police.

More than 200 staff members at the Arizona Department of Corrections facilities lost their jobs as of last Friday, putting about 460 children at risk, according to F.O.P. Executive Director Jim Mann. The F.O.P. urged Gov. Jan Brewer and the state Legislature to reverse those job cuts to keep the public safe.

The ADJC saw its budget cut by $5.3 million and will close its facility in Buckeye and two housing units, one in Phoenix and one in Tucson.

While the budget crisis requires "difficult decisions," firing those who "prevent children from starting a life of crime is unfathomable," Mann said.

Asked about where the budget ax should fall instead, Mann said that was up to the Legislature but added, "They have to put public safety first. They have a duty to maintain the public safety." Rather than making across-the-board cuts, the lawmakers should consider the impact of their decisions on public safety, he said.

"The role of juvenile corrections is somewhat different than adult corrections where you're putting them in and keeping them separate from society," said Mann. "There are some intervention issues. For many of these children, it's the first time they're getting help. Juvenile Corrections is a very large mental health provider for juveniles in custody. Many of the children - who get sentenced for a variety of reasons, like drug problems - many of them are there because they have a mental illness. There needs to be some intervention. If we can get the children some kind of treatment before they get out in society, they won't continue a life of crime."

Space to treat juveniles should not determine whether they get help or are prematurely released, he said.

"We are all committed to managing this crisis so that the public is safe and juvenile offenders are appropriately supervised and assisted in becoming productive adults," said Laura Dillingham, a spokeswoman for the ADJC. The department "remains committed to safer communities through successful youth."

A spokesman for the governor was unavailable for comment Thursday.