The announcement came suddenly, just weeks before Christmas – after almost three decades of operation, the Arizona Department of Corrections would be abruptly shutting down the private state prison in Marana.
The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry declared on Monday, November 27th at 1:15pm that it will terminate its contract with Management & Training Corporation for the private minimum security prison in Marana, which opened in 1994, effective December 31, much to the opposition of Marana’s mayor, Ed Honea.
“Without any warning… we are closing the prison. That’s it,” said a shocked Mayor Honea in an interview Wednesday morning on the Wake Up Tucson Show (1030-KVOI) with host Christopher DeSimone. “I’m really concerned that these eighty-six families, right before Christmas, are told they are out of work.”
The medium-security facility housed inmates in minimum custody levels and offered education programs to promote rehabilitation and future employment. Prison staff facilitated GED courses and substance abuse treatment. “Every quarter I go to their graduations,” Mayor Honea explained. “They now have new opportunities when they get out.”
Inmates also provided maintenance work crews in the Town of Marana, assisting with basic cleanup and saving taxpayer dollars. But despite the reciprocal benefits, the Arizona DOC is prioritizing projected long-term budget savings in deciding to terminate the contract with private operator MTC.
Blindsiding the area, ADCRR stated “the decision was solely based on a cost-benefit analysis” – providing no forewarning as the planned closure date nears. Facing limited alternatives for employment in the region, the abrupt shutdown distressed Mayor Honea.
“With most businesses or industries, you get a couple months’ notice…With this there was no warning,” he lamented. Still, Honea has responded with defiance – vowing to fight the planned closure.
Rallying community stakeholders, he touts the prison’s broader socio-economic benefits and positive impacts on lowering recidivism through rehabilitation initiatives. “We are going to fight this,” Honea declared. Only time will tell if Marana prevails in saving its prison and the 86 jobs placed in jeopardy this holiday season.
