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Arizona’s Second Chances Act: A 2020 Ballot Initiative aiming to benefit all by ending mass incarceration, rehabilitating non-violent offenders, and reducing the $1.2 billion burden on taxpayers
Arizona has the 4th highest incarceration rate in the nation, just behind Mississippi, Oklahoma and Louisiana. For the last 2 decades, the prison population in Arizona has increased by 300% and the cost to fund it has increased by 400%. In fact, Arizona spends over 1 billion dollars a year on prisons each year and…
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Is your loved one in prison being protected from Coronavirus?
With the ongoing concerns of the spread of COVID-19, you may be wondering what precautions are in place to prevent an outbreak in Arizona’s prisons. The Arizona Department of Corrections recently announced it will lift the $4.00 charge for requesting healthcare if an inmate has Coronavirus symptoms and will also lift the inmates’ charge for…
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Reconnecting with your inmate
The word on the street is that Maricopa County Inmates have a new way of “Getting Out.” No, not literally, but figuratively speaking, Maricopa County through a third-party vendor “GTL” has set up tablets for inmates to utilize for purposes of maintaining and re-building relationships with loved ones. The tablet allows for video visits, messaging,…
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How does the Coronavirus affect my Arizona Criminal Case?
Due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, many courts in Arizona have been modifying their instructions for defendants, criminal procedures, courtroom policies, and safety protocols. These changes arose after the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court implemented temporary measures beginning March 16, 2020 and ending April 17, 2020 in order to mitigate the Arizona community’s…
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Memorial Day
Memorial Day is almost here. Many consider it the official start of summer, looking forward to sitting by the pool, floating down the salt river, enjoying a cold drink, or taking a long-needed vacation. However, Memorial Day means so much more. Memorial Day is a time to honor our military men and women who gave…
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Instead of a Fiesta, Consider a Siesta!
Today in America, Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday that commemorates Mexican culture and heritage. Some confuse Cinco de Mayo as Mexico’s Independence Day (which is September 16th), but actually it is the day that the outnumbered Mexican Army defeated the French military at Puebla de Los Angeles (currently known as Zaragoza after General…
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When Country Thunder Rolls into Town
Country Thunder, Arizona’s largest country music festival, is back this April for its 22ndstraight year! Last year, it is estimated that 27,000 people attended the long-running festival – and with a line-up that includes Jason Aldean, Cole Swindell, Brett Young, and Luke Bryan, this year is likely to put up similar numbers. The gates will…
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Don’t “Press Your Luck” this St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the introduction of Christianity to Ireland by Saint Patrick. It is celebrated on the 17th of March every year, which commemorates the death of the Saint. St. Patrick’s Day was considered a religious holiday in Ireland as it occurs during the Christian season of Lent. Irish families would attend church in…
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Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day is here. If you are one of the many people looking for a little TLC this year, be careful where you are trying to find it. If you are a Castillo Law blog follower, you know that we have many blogs warning people who use Backpage, Tagged,…
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Preparing for Veteran’s Day 2017
Veteran’s Day originally started as Armistice Day in 1919, commemorating the day World War I officially ended in 1918. Armistice Day became an official holiday when approved by Congress in 1938. In 1954, after World War II, President Eisenhower declared Armistice Day as Veteran’s Day, a day to honor all who have served for our…
