Visitors Fee Angers Prison Reform Groups

The Arizona Department of Corrections is now charging a $25 fee for adults who want to visit inmates at its 15 prison complexes.

The New York Times reports that the one-time “background check fee” has angered prisoner advocay groups and family members of inmates. Many families already have the expense of traveling long distances to the remote areas where many of the prisons are located.

Critics say that the fee could have a negative effect on public safety by discouraging family visits. They say continuing family contact is one of the best ways to encourage prisoners to go straight when they get out of prison.

The money raised by the fee is supposed to go to repair and maintain the prisons. But a lawsuit filed against the Corrections Department by a Tempe prison reform group claims that the fee is a pretext for raising money “for general public purposes” in a time of severe budget cuts. They say this is unconstitutional because it amounts to a special tax on a single group.