by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Recent legislation used by Gov. Sarah Sanders in her attempt to take control of prisons from the Arkansas Board of Corrections (BOC) has been blocked in a ruling handed down Friday (Jan. 19) by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Patricia James.

Sanders and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin say that Acts 185 and 659, passed in the 2023 Legislative Session, give the governor direct authority over leadership at the Department of Corrections. The BOC on Dec. 14 filed lawsuits in Pulaski County Circuit Court challenging the constitutionality of sections of Acts 185 and 659. The BOC claims that Amendment 33, ratified in 1942, does not allow a governor to take direct control of the state’s prison system.

Judge James on Dec. 2 granted a temporary restraining order preventing Sanders and Griffin from exercising authority under Acts 185 and 659. A hearing on the lawsuit was held Jan. 4.

Ruling favors Board of Corrections, blocks Gov. Sanders’ move to add prison beds

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Attorney General Tim Griffin is not a legislator nor is he governor, but he’s on the same page with Gov. Sarah Sanders and legislative leaders and has been instrumental in pushing for criminal justice reforms that include serving longer sentences, provide work and education skills to prisoners, and expanding prison bed capacity.

Griffin said Sunday (Jan. 22) in an interview on Capitol View and Talk Business & Politics he believes that 5,000 prison beds are needed to meet demand.

“We need a minimum three [3,000] in my view,” Griffin said. “The truth is, we’ve been building prisons, we’ve been building them for years as a matter of practice in a practical matter because we have been quietly pushing our violent felons into – they don’t have room in state prison – we’ve been pushing them into county jails. Which has basically made county jails useless. For the purpose of putting misdemeanors, DUIs, etc. So we have basically made misdemeanor justice irrelevant.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/01/ag-griffin-5000-new-prison-beds-needed/