D1A On Federal Judge Dismissing AZ Lawsuit Targeting Corrections Contracting “With Prejudice”
February 18, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC — The Day 1 Alliance, the trade association representing private sector contractors working in corrections, today released the following statement by National Spokesperson Alexandra Wilkes on the ruling earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes granting a Motion to Dismiss the lawsuit filed against the Arizona Department of Corrections for the state’s use of contractors.
Read Judge Rayes’ full ruling here. In December 2020, the Day 1 Alliance filed an amicus curiae brief with the court, available here.
“We are pleased that the federal District Court has dismissed this lawsuit ‘with prejudice,’ rejecting all four counts brought by the plaintiffs.
“The court’s ruling underscores what we’ve known all along. Arizona has one corrections system, overseen by the Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry. As such, all prisons – whether privately or publicly operated – help fulfill the Department’s mission of public safety and successful reentry.
“Further, contractors have no role in America’s mass incarceration problem and no control over who goes to prison or for how long – that’s the job of elected representatives, judges, and juries.
“Contractors’ incentive isn’t to have more incarceration – it’s to be the best service provider for government agencies facing serious challenges. Today that largely requires providing top-notch, evidence-based re-entry programming that reduces recidivism, which our members do each and every day in Arizona and across the country.
“From the start, this lawsuit was filed to make a political statement, and is another example of contractors being targeted as a scapegoat by people pushing a political agenda. But as this federal court decision once again makes clear, the facts simply don’t support it.”
About the Day 1 Alliance:
The Day 1 Alliance (D1A) is a trade association representing private sector contractors helping government agencies address corrections and detention challenges in the United States. For more than 35 years, D1A members have worked with local, state, and federal governments led by members of both political parties to provide professional, humane, and respectful treatment to incarcerated and detained individuals. From day one, we understand we have a responsibility to provide safe and dignified care to those in our facilities. D1A members do not lobby for or against policies, regulations, or legislation that impact the basis for or duration of an individual’s incarceration or detention.
The members of the Day 1 Alliance are CoreCivic, The GEO Group, Management & Training Corporation, and LaSalle Corrections.
Learn more at day1alliance.org and follow us on Twitter @TheDay1Alliance.
Media inquiries:
contact@day1alliance.org
