ARIZONA LEGISLATURE PASSES PROBATION REFORM TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AND MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER

HB 2055 – supported by crime survivors – would implement job credits for those on probation to incentivize employment and strengthen communities

PHOENIX – Arizona crime survivors today praised the Senate for final passage of HB 2055 in a unanimous vote, which reforms probation to improve outcomes and support the local economy. The bill – sponsored by Representative Selina Bliss (R-District 1) – authorizes the courts to adjust someone’s time on probation if they are employed for a set period of time, incentivizing stable employment and improving outcomes for those who want to give back to their communities. This reform was supported by Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice – a national network of crime victims with thousands of members in Arizona – and is a proven approach to improving safety and ending cycles of incarceration. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk. 

“The legislature today passed a monumental bill that will not only help individuals succeed, but make us all safer too,” said John Bauters, Arizona state director for the Alliance for Safety and Justice. “Creating an incentive for those on probation to contribute to the local economy is a common sense way to stop cycles of crime. HB 2055 will help people give back to their communities, while holding them accountable. We thank Representative Kaiser for taking survivor voices into account when leading on this legislation. There is no one solution to safety, but this reform is a big step forward for Arizona.” 

The full text of the bill can be read here.

About the Alliance for Safety and Justice

The Alliance for Safety and Justice is a national organization that aims to win evidence-based new safety priorities in states across the country. It also brings together diverse crime survivors to advance policies that help communities most harmed by crime and violence, as part of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice – its national network of over 100,000 crime survivors with close to 3,000 members in Arizona. For more information, visit: https://allianceforsafetyandjustice.org or https://cssj.org.

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