District 5 Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox announced today that the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department has been awarded an additional $2 million in American Recovery Investment Act (ARRA) for 2009 funds to use in a program to keep inmates released from prison  from recommitting crimes in the community. The funds will be used to hire 15 officers who will work with approximately 3,600 offenders over a two-year period. In August,  the department became the first adult probation office in the country to receive ARRA funding.  

“We are pleased that the County Adult Probation Department continues to lead the nation in using stimulus funds to keep our communities safer and to help in the re-entry process and give these individuals a new lease on life,” Wilcox said.  

Maricopa County Adult Probation Department looks to increase safety and make efficiencies in the justice system through a coordinated prison re-entry initiative.  The initiative will take a progressive approach in addressing the many challenges associated with successful prisoner re-entry by closing the service gap between prison release and probation, and connecting the offenders with necessary services. 

“A program like this, will decrease crime in the community making us safer while saving taxpayers’ dollars,” said County Manager David R. Smith.  “Fewer individuals will be moving in and out of the justice system in a revolving door of futility.”

With this  new $2 million allocation, Maricopa County has received a total of  $55.4 million in federal stimulus funds for various county programs and projects.  Attached is a chart showing all Maricopa County’s American Recovery Investment Act (ARRA) for 2009 funding and projects approved to date by the Board of Supervisors.