They Closed The Jail Where Prisoners Dressed In Pink

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

The state of Arizona will conclude a sad chapter in its history with the closing of a prison famous for dressing its inmates in striped suits and pink underwear.

The infamous outdoor venue is called Tent City and was created by Jeff Arpaio, the controversial Maricopa County Sheriff. The site is so named because it was located next to a brick and cement jail, but it was made of tents dating from the war with Korea in the first half of the 20th century.

"This circus is over today and stores will start to drop," new Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said at a news conference Tuesday. "These facilities do not stop crime, are not cost efficient, and are not harsh on criminals," the official said.

According to Reuters agency reports, Penzone took office in January this year after defeating Arpaio in the elections; the outgoing mayor had been in command for 24 years. Arpaio, 84, is now facing trial - to be aired on April 25 - for having disobeyed the court order in the racial profiling case against Hispanic drivers.

Tent City is located southwest of Phoenix, the state capital, and was denounced for years by civilian groups alleging that the place treated detainees “inhumanly”, many of them people detained by the immigration service who were waiting to be processed. The government is estimated to save about $ 4.5 with the closing of the "jail."