No Abu Ghraib in Arizona

By Brenda Norrell

PHOENIX -- The American Friends Service Committee has exposed a stream of corruption and prisoner abuse from Arizona to Abu Ghraib, related to Terry Stewart and his possible selection to head the Arizona Department of Corrections. Earlier, Stewart was commisssioned by the US State Department to oversee Iraqi prisons, including Abu Ghraib, even though he was in charge of Arizona prisons during a period when women were raped, sodomoized and assaulted by prison guards.

Stewart also fought to build a prison for "Mexican nationals" in the US operated by a private prison company. Then, Stewart went to work as a private prison consultant, following a policy and pattern of torture, prisoner abuse and private prison profiteering during the Bush administration.

The American Friends Service Committee opposed the appointment in a statement.

"Rumors are swirling about the departure of most state department heads following the transition of the Governorship from Napolitano to Jan Brewer. This includes the replacement of Dora Schriro as Director of the Department of Corrections. No rumor is more concerning to prisoners, their families, or prison reform advocates than the specter of Terry Stewart returning to run the department.
"In 2003, the former Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Terry Stewart, was commissioned by the State Department to oversee the development of Iraqi prisons. Senator Charles Schumer called on the Department of Justice to investigate the involvement of Stewart in Abu Ghraib, noting that Stewart had a "shocking record of tolerating prisoner abuse" as Director of Arizona's prisons. ("Senator seeks investigation of US prison experts in Iraq," Arizona Republic, 6/3/04).
"Specifically, Schumer referred to a 1997 lawsuit by the US DOJ following an 18-month investigation of alleged sexual abuse of female inmates. A subsequent report found "an unconstitutional pattern of practice of sexual misconduct"; documented the cases of 14 female inmates who were raped, sodomized or assaulted by guards; and criticized DOC officials for not dealing with the problem. ("Uncle Sam wants you anyway," Dan Frosch, Alternet, 5/24/04 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&add...)
"Another major development during Stewart's reign was the increasing privatization of prisons. He fought hard for a proposal to build a prison just for Mexican national prisoners, which would be run by a private corporation. Small wonder, then, that when he left the Department in 2002, he went to work for a private prison consulting firm. Given the current level of privatization of prisons in Arizona, this presents a potential conflict of interest, if Stewart is named Corrections Director and is still profiting personally from the corporations that secure such contracts.
"Not only was Stewart's management of the department misguided, it was also expensive. In 2002 the Arizona Republic reported on the department's "Protective Services Unit," which investigated death threats and provided bodyguards for Stewart. The eight-employee unit was reported to cost an estimated $275,000 per year." ("Threats on Arpaio costly: Public pays $264,653 for security detail," By Tom Zoellner, The Arizona Republic, 1/4/02 http://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/articles/0104threats04.html).
The AFSC asked people to call Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and tell her "No Abu Ghraib in Arizona!"
AFSC said it opposes the appointment of Terry Stewart as Director of Corrections because:
1. Stewart is a poor administrator who makes bad decisions. As Arizona Corrections Director, he turned a blind eye to mistreatment of prisoners, fought tooth and nail with the State Legislature, and refused to be accountable for his actions.
2. Stewart's association with private prison corporations represents a conflict of interest. He is personally profiting from contracts with state departments of correction, but as ADC Director he would be responsible for negotiating such contracts.
3. Stewart will cost the state money, at a time when we can't afford mistakes. Stewart's bodyguards alone cost Arizona $275,000 a year in 2002.
4. Stewart is an embarrassment to the State of Arizona, and will be a public relations nightmare for the new Governor. We can't afford lawsuits from the Department of Justice or a scandal on the scale of Abu Ghraib.
Telephone (602) 542-4331
Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883
Fax (602) 542-1381
OR you can send an email via the Governor's webpage:
http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp
More info at:
Caroline Isaacs
Program Director,
American Friends Service Committee
Arizona Area Program
103 N. Park Ave., Suite 111
Tucson, AZ 85719
520.623.9141 p/520.623.5901 f