On a biennial basis, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission is tasked with preparing for the governor a criminal justice system trends report. Available resources, the size and complexity of the criminal justice system and the availability of relevant data influence the scope of the issues addressed in the report. In support of data-driven decision making, this report uses publicly available data to describe the activity of Arizona’s criminal justice system from law enforcement agencies description of the offenses reported to their agencies to the population of the Arizona Department of Corrections.

An Arizona drug control strategy was initially developed in 1987 with extensive input from local, state, and federal officials and agencies. Through the years, the drug control strategy was updated, refined, and expanded to include gang and violent crime. The first multi-year strategy was released in 2000 and continued for three years, followed by a four-year strategy developed in 2004 and a subsequent strategy in 2008. Drug, gang and violent crime continue to be a persistent threat to the public safety and health of Arizonans. Through granting millions of dollars in federal and state funds to address drug, gang and violent crime, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission serves an integral role in responding to the problem. The Arizona Drug, Gang and Violent Crime Control (Strategy) is the Commission’s primary decision-making tool for the allocation of funds and to guide project activity for the Drug, Gang and Violent Crime Control program.

The Arizona Department of Corrections is one of the largest departments in Arizona State Government. It serves and protects the people of the state of Arizona by incarcerating inmates in correctional facilities and supervising conditionally released offenders in the community. During incarceration, medical care and other health and welfare services are provided to inmates. In addition, programs such as work, education, training, substance abuse treatment, sex offender treatment, and spiritual services are provided to inmates to promote employability, literacy, sobriety, and accountability to crime victims and to increase the likelihood that released inmates will become law-abiding citizens upon release.

The Annual Report is prepared and submitted each year to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Annual Report is also posted on the Commission website. It is the hope of all of the members of the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission that encouraging both new researchers and large scale multi-institutional/ multidisciplinary investigations will advance scientific discovery in the search for better health and lives of all Arizonans.

The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing was established in 1977 to improve the quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing residents. It serves as a statewide information referral center for issues related to people with hearing loss, oversees the Arizona Relay Service, the Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program and licenses American Sign Language Interpreters. The agency serves citizens who are deaf- blind and who have speech difficulties as well. The agency name was changed in 1985 to the Arizona Council for the Hearing Impaired, and in 2000 was again changed to its present name. The Commission aspires to be a national leader in communication access, support services and community empowerment throughout the state.

The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections remains committed to providing public safety, protecting victims and changing the delinquent behaviors of the juvenile offenders committed to them. The Department continues to strive to provide a safe and secure environment for staff and youth. Safety is essential to providing education, treatment and rehabilitation to the youth in our care; who will eventually return to our communities.

The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections is responsible for juveniles adjudicated delinquent and committed by the juvenile courts. The department is accountable to the citizens of Arizona for the promotion of public safety through the management of the state's secure juvenile facilities and it provides services to juvenile offenders including rehabilitation, treatment and education. Arizona law requires that ADJC accomplish its mission by providing supervision, rehabilitation, treatment and education to the juveniles committed to its care.