Drugs are a problem outside of prison, and can even be the reason that a person is sentenced to spend years behind bars. But according to CBS News, drugs are also a problem inside Arizona prisons. One inmate at the Arizona state prison in Florence died in December 2011 due to a drug overdose. He is only one of the seven Arizona residents who have overdosed and perished from a heroin overdose inside in incarceration in the past two years. Even though prisons are supposed to be the most secure buildings in the state, criminals are still able to smuggle drugs in and use them to dull the pain and shame of their sentence.
In fact, last month a multi-agency investigation rendered 44 arrests and the agencies seized 32 pounds of heroin from a drug ring that was smuggling narcotics into the prison. They also found 5 pounds of cocaine. The Arizona Republic started an investigation into the deaths by drugs in Arizona prisons, and found that the Department of Corrections has been allowing the narcotics through. They assume that the Department is doing so unintentionally, but better surveillance would probably do well to help remedy the drug problem inside of the jails.
Officers sometimes fail to screen staff and visitors, leading to a possibility that these people are bringing in the drugs for their loved ones. One woman who was arrested in connection with the drug ring mentioned above says that she intended to smuggle 10 ounces of heroin into a state prison for her criminal relatives. Sneaking drugs into a prison is a serious offense. Arizona prisons intend to create better screening for visitors, and will arrest anyone who is found in possession of the illegal substances. Contact a Phoenix criminal defense attorney today if you have been convicted of smuggling contraband into a prison