Arizona: Governor Katie Hobbs Signs Executive Order Partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice to Create Pathways to Work and Strengthen Public Safety

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Multiagency effort will focus on connecting previously incarcerated Arizonans to jobs

Phoenix, AZ – Today, Governor Katie Hobbs signed an Executive Order launching Arizona's Reentry 2030 program, part of a bipartisan national effort to improve support for justice-involved individuals and enhance public safety. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs and the Council of State Governments (CSG), Director Ryan Thornell and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR) will convene state agencies to advance the Reentry 2030 initiative.

In doing so, Arizona joins Nebraska, Alabama, Missouri, and other states in their bipartisan work to reduce recidivism and strengthen public safety, protect taxpayer dollars, and expand opportunity.

"Creating pathways to work is essential to strengthening public safety and protecting taxpayer dollars," said Governor Katie Hobbs. "People who have served their time, taken accountability, and put in the work to better themselves deserve a second chance and the opportunity to contribute to their families and our economy. Through the bipartisan Reentry 2030 initiative, we're committing to breaking down barriers and expanding access to jobs so that more Arizonans can achieve stability. That's good for families, good for businesses, and good for Arizona."

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"Good public safety is about ensuring individuals in our custody have access to rehabilitative services, especially quality job training. When employers train and hire formerly incarcerated individuals, they don't just change individual lives, they strengthen the security and prosperity of entire communities," said ADCRR Director Ryan Thornell. "The ADCRR is proud to be a partner in the expansion of economic opportunities for people reentering our society."

Arizona's Reentry 2030 initiative aims to increase employment for people reentering society after incarceration through workforce development, apprenticeships, and vocational training.

To achieve these goals, the Executive Order creates a Reentry 2030 Working Group led by ADCRR that will work closely with the Council of State Governments. The Executive Order also provides guidelines to state agencies, including the Department of Economic Security (DES), Department of Juvenile Corrections, Office of Economic Opportunity, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, and Department of Health Services. The efforts under Reentry 2030 all further the Governor's Talent Ready workforce and education initiative to connect Arizonans across all communities to good-paying jobs in growing industries.

"The Reentry 2030 initiative promises to make a considerable difference in the lives of individuals looking for another opportunity. This work not only benefits the individual and their families, but it also benefits employers throughout the state," said DES Director Michael Wisehart. "DES is proud to collaborate with ADCRR and all of our partners to provide these workforce services."

In Arizona, about one in three people has a criminal record, and approximately 93 percent of incarcerated people will return to society. In 2023, less than half of the people released from Arizona state prisons were employed one year after leaving incarceration. Reducing recidivism and investing in meaningful reentry efforts saves the state money and strengthens the economy. By steering Arizonans away from crime and towards opportunity, the state will spend less on incarceration while filling critical workforce gaps to advance and sustain economic development.

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"Arizona's leaders are taking a major step toward reducing recidivism and strengthening support for people returning to their communities," said Marshall Clement, Interim Director of the CSG Justice Center. "Through Reentry 2030, they're setting bold goals to expand access to education, employment, and health care for people leaving incarceration. We're excited to work alongside them, providing the data, tools, and resources needed to achieve their vision and improve public safety across Arizona."

"Reentry 2030 is about breaking the cycle of incarceration by transforming reentry into a pathway of possibility," said Khalil Rushdan, Arizona Faith Network Programs Manager and Arizona Justice Project Board Member. "We are more than just statistics—we are skilled, committed, and determined to contribute. All we need is a fair chance. When you hire someone with a record, you're not taking a risk; you're making an investment in resilience. Let us come together and break this cycle once and for all. Let us build a future where every person returning home has the tools and the opportunity to thrive."
Read the Executive Order here.  

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