31-235. Prisoner communications; definitions

333 words·~2 min read·/az/title-31/31-235

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

A. The department shall mark all mail written by a prisoner committed to the state department of corrections indicating that the mail was sent from a prison maintained by this state.

B. An inmate shall not send any communication to the victim of the offense for which the inmate was convicted, or to members of the victim's family or household denoted by the victim, if the victim has requested not to receive any communication pursuant to section 13-4411.01. The department shall inform the inmate of persons to whom the inmate is forbidden to send any communication pursuant to this section and section 13-4411.01. The department shall impose appropriate sanctions, including reducing or denying earned release credits, against an inmate who corresponds or attempts to correspond with a person in violation of the request pursuant to section 13-4411.01.

C. An inmate shall not send mail to or receive mail from a communication service provider or remote computing service. The department shall impose appropriate sanctions, including reducing or denying earned release credits, against an inmate if either of the following applies:

1. The inmate corresponds or attempts to correspond with a communication service provider or remote computing service.

2. Any person accesses the provider's or service's internet website at the inmate's request.

D. On receipt of notice that an inmate has violated subsection B or C of this section, the department shall review all of the inmate's outgoing communications to ensure that no further correspondence is sent to the victim or to the victim's family or household members who have requested not to receive any inmate communication or to the communication service provider or remote computing service or any person who accesses the provider's or service's internet website.

E. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Communications" means any written, verbal or nonverbal communication, including mail, electronic communications and telephone calls.

2. "Communication service provider" has the same meaning prescribed in section 13-3001.

3. "Remote computing service" has the same meaning prescribed in section 13-3001.