EXCLUSIVE: Whistleblowers tell @kjzzphoenix a software bug is keeping hundreds of inmates in Arizona prisons beyond their release dates - Sources say Department of Corrections leadership has known about the problem since 2019 kjzz.org/content/166098…
According to Arizona Department of Corrections whistleblowers, hundreds of incarcerated people who should be eligible for release are being held in prison because the inmate management software cannot interpret current sentencing laws.
As of 2019, the Department had spent more than $24 million contracting with IT company Business & Decision, North America to build and maintain the software program, known as ACIS, that is used to manage the inmate population in state prisons.
Senate Bill 1310 amended the Arizona Revised Statutes so that certain inmates convicted of nonviolent offenses could earn additional release credits upon the completion of programming in state prisons. Gov. Ducey signed the bill in June of 2019
But the ACIS software is not still able to identify inmates who qualify for SB 1310 programming, nor can it calculate their new release dates:
“We knew from day one this wasn’t going to work” a source said. “When they approved that bill, we looked at it and said ‘Oh shit.’”
“We knew from day one this wasn’t going to work” a source said. “When they approved that bill, we looked at it and said ‘Oh shit.’”
After repeated internal warnings, employees sent a report to department leadership in October, 2020, specifically detailing the software bug. 
“Currently this calculation is not in ACIS at all,” the report states. “ACIS can calculate 1 earned credit for every 6 days served, but this is a new calculation.”
Instead of fixing the bug, sources said employees are attempting to identify qualifying inmates manually:
"We can't find people to get them into the programs, and after they complete the programs, we still can’t get them out the door. These people are literally trapped.”
"We can't find people to get them into the programs, and after they complete the programs, we still can’t get them out the door. These people are literally trapped.”
DOC confirmed the “data is being calculated manually and then entered into the system.”
Department sources said this means “someone is sitting there crunching numbers with a calculator and interpreting how each of the new laws that have been passed would impact an inmate.”
Department sources said this means “someone is sitting there crunching numbers with a calculator and interpreting how each of the new laws that have been passed would impact an inmate.”
“It makes me sick,” one source said, noting that even the most diligent employees are capable of making math errors that could result in additional months or years in prison for an inmate. “What the hell are we doing here? People’s lives are at stake.”
But the sentence calculation programming issues are “just the tip of the iceberg.” According to the sources, the entire inmate management software program, known as ACIS, has experienced more than 14,000 bugs since it was implemented in November of 2019.
Employees tried to speak up before the software rollout, but said they were instructed by department leadership to “not say a word” about their concerns:
“We were told ‘We’re too deep into it — too much money had been spent — we can’t go back now.’”
“We were told ‘We’re too deep into it — too much money had been spent — we can’t go back now.’”
Department sources say several other software programs have failed to perform correctly, including modules that track
- inmate health care
- head counts
- inmate property
- commissary and financial accounts
- religious affiliation
- security classification
- gang affiliations
- inmate health care
- head counts
- inmate property
- commissary and financial accounts
- religious affiliation
- security classification
- gang affiliations
“We have put people in cells together who are in conflicting gangs without realizing it. We can’t keep the right medication with inmates when they are transferred to a new unit. We’re putting people in danger. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed or dies.”
"In one instance there was a disciplinary action erroneously entered on an inmate's record, but there's no way to back it out," a source said. "So that guy was punished and he wasn’t able to make a phone call for 30 days. Those are the kinds of things that eat at you every day.”
The ACIS software program was poorly scoped, and the project is millions of dollars over budget, leading to endless contract amendments with the vendor to pay for updates and maintenance
A 2020 audit of DOC by the Arizona Department of Auditor General found nearly $1 million in unreconciled inmate trust accounts. According to the audit, the department blamed the unresolved accounts on - Guess What? - the software system! kjzz.org/content/163247…
One department whistleblower said the number of problems with the ACIS system was unprecedented in their professional experience:
“I have never in my life run across an application like this,” they said. “It’s just been one big cluster.”
“I have never in my life run across an application like this,” they said. “It’s just been one big cluster.”
All of the sources that spoke to KJZZ emphasized the need for more programming hours from the vendor that could be used on maintenance and support:
“When they legislate these things, they need to be appropriating enough money to make sure they work."
“When they legislate these things, they need to be appropriating enough money to make sure they work."
That warning is very timely, because there are currently several bills in the Arizona Legislature that would expand eligibility for earned release credits to even more inmates than the standard set by SB 1310
kjzz.org/content/165815…
kjzz.org/content/165815…
DOC sources claim poor leadership is ultimately to blame for the IT problems:
“There are choices being made like business decisions, when they need to be thinking about what’s in the best interest of the staff, and ultimately, what’s in the best interest of the inmates."
“There are choices being made like business decisions, when they need to be thinking about what’s in the best interest of the staff, and ultimately, what’s in the best interest of the inmates."
One source said they were “disgusted” with the way the department has mishandled the software problems:
"It’s absolutely inhumane to keep people in prison longer than they are supposed to be.”
"It’s absolutely inhumane to keep people in prison longer than they are supposed to be.”
Coming up at 10:00 AM - House Appropriations Committee agenda includes HB2167, a bill that would create an independent ombudsman and oversight committee to monitor the Arizona Department of Corrections - Watch Live: azleg.gov/videoplayer/?c…
Background on this Department of Corrections oversight legislation kjzz.org/content/165962…
Committee is live at this link azleg.gov/videoplayer/?c…
Impact: This story has been live for 6 hours - 5 state Representatives just cited our @kjzzphoenix
reporting as they voted to approve legislation that would create greater oversight of the Department of Corrections
reporting as they voted to approve legislation that would create greater oversight of the Department of Corrections
Update: The Department of Corrections has responded to our reporting - they say the allegations that inmates are held beyond release dates are false, but in the same paragraph they admit they are not currently able to calculate release dates in accordance with state law!!
Can't hold someone beyond their release date if you don't know when it is!
Full response from DOC
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